Star Ray
by Nightingale1998
Summary: My life was never easy but I was happy, to say the least. Happiness. What a rare commodity, yet no matter what anyone tells you, I did have it once. I truly did. Follow Calliope on her new adventures with the Avengers. The story will start during the event of the 2012 Avengers movie. Rated T for teen just in case (abuse and violence) also a slow burn.
1. Chapter 1: Hate

Hello everyone! I do not own any of these characters except my Oc's.

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My life was never easy but I was happy, to say the least. Happiness. What a rare commodity, yet no matter what anyone tells you, I did have it once. I truly did.

I lived a simple life, or at least I tried to. I was a normal girl with a normal life, with a wonderful family and people who loved me so much I thought I would be with them forever. Obviously, that didn't happen, and I'm not sure who I'm more frustrated with. Myself for believing such a lie or the world for destroying the last two things that I loved with all my heart and soul. _'I hate this world.'_ I thought to myself, as I stared at the ceiling above me. I did hate it and I don't think I could ever love something as terrible as this planet and the people who inhabit it. I just want one thing, just one; to be left alone until the day I die.

_Thump, thump, thump_. Someone is knocking on my door. I wish they would learn to leave me alone, which is odd considering I'm in solitary confinement and they still won't. "Rodriguez! You have a visitor." The guard yelled through the door.

"And I should care why?" I didn't understand why _He_ couldn't just leave me alone, or why he kept visiting. I suppose he thought that just because we worked together once that it meant we were the best of friends. Well then he was dead wrong if he thought that was true. He was the reason my life got ruined, why I'm alone, why I will never smile again.

"Look, you know the deal Rodriguez. Are you ready?" The guard asked me. Strange, I've been here for who knows how long and I still don't know her name. I don't particularly care either.

"Yeah, I know the drill. I'm ready." I told her. The drill was simple enough, a group of ten guards will come in through the door and surround me. I will slowly get up onto my feet and spread them apart with both of my hands in front of me. After that, they will proceed to cuff me by my hands and feet and place metal restraints on my arms and legs. Finally, they put a muzzle on me as if I'm a rabid dog. I'm probably seen as a dog in their eyes, they even have a leash for me. Each of the guards will hold me down by said leash as they escort me to my "lovely" visitor. Although we all know if I wanted to I could escape, but that's the thing I don't want to escape. I just want to be left alone.

I reached my destination 10 minutes later and they sit me down right in front of Him. They don't bother taking off the muzzle or the restraints, not that I care. The muzzle still allows me to speak so it's not like it will get in my way or anything like that. As they chain my leash to the ground my visitor and I stay quiet, he waves his hand in dismiss the guards, and then it was just us.

"You know," he starts, " You don't have to go through this. We can set you free at any point in time. Say the word and it's done." I merely stare at him blankly. It's not worth the effort to talk to him. "Look, kid. I know that you asked to be incarcerated, but you don't have to be in here!" he stresses. That's how these meetings usually go. He tries to "reach" me and I give him my usual vaguely annoyed expression. This goes on for an hour before he gives up. Typical.

"Okay, I get it. You gave up, right? Fine. I figured you were too good to just give up like this. I guess I was wrong. I guess Cristina was wrong about you too." he whispered in the end.

I stood up, effectively breaking the restraints that chained me down to the seat as I slammed my now freed hands, on top of the table. "Shut up! You're not worthy to say my baby's name!" I yelled at him my eyes glowing a menacing pink. He was shocked for a few seconds but quickly composed himself and it's at that moment we realize that we were surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D agents. All their guns trained on me.

"It's alright." he sighs, "lower your weapons. You're dismissed." They're reluctant to leave, but they do. They always leave. He stands with his hands in the air as if to surrender. "Alright. Maybe I shouldn't have said her name, but that doesn't make what I said any less true."

"Just get out." I hissed at him.

"Okay, I'm leaving. I just hope that one day you realize that you aren't alone. I'll see you same time next month. Goodbye Calliope." He turned and left the room, leaving me by myself. Soon after, the guards return to escort me back to my cell.

Once there, I go back to my bed and stare at the ceiling. I begin to let my mind wander as I relish in the sweet silence. _"Calliope! Help me!" "Cristina NO! It's okay baby. Stay with me!"_ I close my eyes tightly trying to banish the memory from my mind as I remember that day, but no matter what I do it won't stop. I never even noticed that I started to cry.

"You lied again. I am alone and it's all your fault for taking them from me, Clint." I whispered into the darkness of my room as I slowly lose myself to my memories.

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Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm so excited to share my character with all of you. If you have any question or feed back for me please feel free to message me. I'm new to writing so please forgive me for any mistakes you see. If you have any advice to give me I would appreciate it. Other than that I hope you enjoy the story!


	2. Chapter 2: How did this happen?

Hello everyone just wanted to remind you that I do not own Marvel, I only own my Oc's. Enjoy!

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Another day has come and gone, and yet I feel uneasy about it. It's been one month since I've last seen Agent Clint Barton. One month exactly and today is usually the day that Clint comes to visit me, not that I care. Although he's never been late before and I'm almost positive that it's dusk already and he still hasn't shown up. The only reason I know this is because I received my dinner some time ago, and Clint usually comes sometime after lunch. Now many will tell you, "Oh he finally gave up on you and moved on with his life." But that's not the case. See, Clint Barton doesn't _give up _on someone. He's the kind of person who knows what he wants and doesn't take no for an answer. He may take a break ,but he never gives up on someone.

_Thump, thump, thump._ Maybe I spoke too soon, he's still late though.. I hear the guard start to speak to me through the slot on the door, "Rodriguez you have a visitor, you know the drill." I groan in response as I prepare myself for the next few minutes.

Ten minutes later, I once again find myself in the same room we always meet in. I pause momentarily at the entrance. I never expected to see her of all people visiting me in prison, with her stone cold face and indifferent attitude. After a minute of just looking at her, I allow them to move me to my normal seat and chain me down as per protocol. I noticed that today they put more restraints on me as I sat down in my usual chair. I smirked at the thought that they really believed they could contain me, but I suppose they feel the need to take more precautions than usual. When they finished, they left the room leaving me alone with Agent Maria Hill. Out of all the people in the world why did it have to be her?

"Well, you haven't changed one bit from when I last saw you. I heard you turned 17 some time ago, congratulations." She said with her cold and indifferent voice.

"Why are you here, Agent Hill?" I asked with mild annoyance. It's already bad enough Clint doesn't leave me alone but now her? She doesn't even like me.

"I'm here on a mission." She told me bluntly, "A mission to recruit you."

"I'm sorry, what?" There was no way. I told S.H.I.E.L.D. I wasn't helping them with their problems anymore. It was a one-time thing and from here on out, they needed to leave me alone. Apparently, someone didn't get the memo.

"I'm here for you. We have a job that we need you to come in for." She stated as if by simply saying that I would magically go with her and do whatever she said.

"No. I'm not getting dragged into another crisis, Y'all are on your own this time." I tilted my head to the side in dismissal. "By the way, next time you see Clint, tell him not to send you in his place. If he doesn't want to come see me then that's fine, but it doesn't mean any of you can come in his place."

There was a moment of silence before she spoke again, "Agent Barton couldn't come and see you today."

"As if I care," I told her with as much indifference as I can muster, even though I was a bit curious about why he couldn't make it.

"Of course not. You only ever think about yourself." She said as she stood up to leave "Why would you care that Barton has been taken by enemy forces?"

"Wait, what happened? How did this happen?" My mind was racing at this point, and how could it not when she just dropped a bomb on me like that. How could this happen to Clint of all people? This was arrow shooting, funny, smart, and dependable Clint Barton, how could he get taken?

"Loki happened." She proceeded to briefly explain to me how Loki turned Clint into his mindless robot, or at least that's how it sounds like what happened. "He now has the Tesseract." she finished

"What's a tesseract?"

"A power source which has the potential for good or great evil. Not that it matters now." She stated.

"Why wouldn't that matter?" I was so confused I didn't know what to do or how to process any of this.

"Because you said that you were done with all of this, so I'm not wasting any more of my time on you." She turned around and started to leave.

"Wait!" I said as I jumped up, once again breaking through my countless restraints. "Is he going to be okay?"

She paused before quietly saying "I don't know. I'm assuming you're happy by these turn in events knowing that he's finally in trouble." No, that wasn't true. It was the opposite if I'm being honest. Sure I was mad at him, but that doesn't mean I don't care about his safety and well being.

"I'll help you!" I blurted out.

"What did you say?"

"I'll help you with the, well whatever it is okay. I'll help you, but once you get Clint back to safety, that's it. I'm out, got it?"

I could see her thinking it over before she told me "Alright, but answer one question for me then." I nodded my head in affirmation. "Why are you helping us?"

I stayed quiet for a moment, thinking it over. Why am I helping them? I don't owe them, and if anything they owe me for everything that has happened to me. That's when Clint popped up in my mind and everything he ever did to try and help me, "Because he never gave up on me, even when I gave up on him. Clint never left me. Not even when I yelled at him and blamed him for everything." _So how can I leave him now._

"So you admit that what happened to Cristina and Christopher wasn't his fault."

"No, I never said that. I still blame S.H.I.E.L.D. for what happened to them that day. If you had just left us alone and dealt with the problem yourselves then they would be alive, and I wouldn't be in prison trying to get away from the rest of the world." I hissed back at her.

"Calliope, Christopher is still alive," Hill told me softly

"His body is alive, but not his mind. Y'all ruined his mind and soul, and left me an empty shell in his place." I reminded her. They can say all they want, but I know the truth. I was there the entire time as I watched my world fall apart before my eyes in a matter of seconds.

"Alright then." She said trying to get back on to the main subject, "In your room, you'll find an information packet for your assignment. I will return tomorrow to take you to the base." After that, she left and I tried to hurry back to my cell.

It took forever to get back to my cell because the guards were upset I broke another set of restraints. Which I felt offended by because those things were so flimsy it's hard to not break them. Once I was back in my cell, I noticed the packet Hill told me about and I dug right into it. Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, and so much more was inside of this packet, it made my head spin. Let's just say I didn't get any sleep that night and leave it at that.

The next morning I was being processed and made ready to leave the prison. I never thought this would happen, but then again who knew that any of this would come to pass. I get in the car and immediately I come face to face with Maria Hill, as a free woman. We nodded at each other as the car began its journey to the jet that would take us to the base.

"You do realize you don't have to wear that uniform right?" She said as she looked at my prison clothes.

"This is just a reminder that I'm not here to stay. This is only temporary and I'll be back in prison in no time." Just have to save an idiot first, shouldn't be too difficult. Right?

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Authors note: Okay so the first two chapters are really short for a reason. Since they were more of an introduction to the story I chose to keep them short but the next chapter will be longer. Also I wanted to let all of know that when it comes to Calliope's past you're going to learn about it in little snippet's instead of all at once. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.


	3. Chapter 3: Here we go again

_Well that took forever. _I thought as we finally reached the ship. _Honestly, that took way too long. I don't know why they couldn't just let me fly over here. That would have been so much faster. _Whatever, we were finally here but apparently we were early because the rest of my "teammates" weren't here yet. That was kind of annoying just because it meant I now had to wait on them instead of starting and getting the mission done. I don't know why I'm complaining when I know that I don't even want to meet these people. Socializing with others has never been my strong suit in life.

I have to say I'm impressed by what I see when Agent Hill brings me inside the ship. The place looks incredible with all its super Hi-tech spy equipment. Standing right in the middle of it all was Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and he looked so smug right now it's making me consider slapping him. I wonder how fast they would shuttle me back to prison if I did that?

"Rodriguez."

"Furry." He didn't seem pleased with me mispronouncing his name, but at least he didn't look so smug anymore. That was a relief.

"I'm glad you could join us. It's to my understanding that you agreed to help us until Barton is brought back in safely?"

"Pretty much. I don't see any other reason that would motivate me to come here." I said as I slowly turned around to take in the rest of my surroundings. Sure the prison I was staying in was top of the line, kind of had to be to try and hold me, but this place was cool. I notice we were at the Bridge, which is basically the command center of the ship. Behind me was a table that held about seven seats. I guess that's where they hold the meetings or maybe the debriefings.

"Well for right now you can take a seat until the rest of the group gets here," he tells me.

I shrug my shoulders and go to sit down in one of the random chairs in the back of the room. It takes another 20 minutes or so before we get notified that Captain Rogers and Dr. Banner have made it on board. _Great. _I thought to myself but before I can say anything,the ship begins to shake.

"What's happening?" I asked as I looked across the room and out the window in front of us. That's when I finally saw it. The ship was rising out of the ocean and into the air. "Hey Fury, we're not in Kansas anymore are we?" He turns to look at me and he smirks not even answering my question, but at this point, I don't need him to answer it because I can literally see the answer for myself.

A few minutes later I see a woman and two men come onto the bridge. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it was Banner and Rogers. They looked just as amazed as I felt. I guess they have never seen anything like this either. The Captain continues to look around but it's Banner is the one who noticed me first. He discreetly nods his head at me as he walks closer towards me, but he stops short and I noticed he's trying to hide his face from two guards at the back of the room. Which is understandable considering how long he's been on the run, plus old habits die hard. I turn to look back at the front of the room just in time to hear Fury tell Agent Hill that it's time to vanish. I have to say I've seen a lot of things and heard a lot of even stranger things but I think this takes the cake.

"Gentlemen and lady." Fury turns to say to us, it was at that moment that the Captain finally took notice of me. "I believe not all of you have met. Men, this is Calliope Rodriguez she will be working with you on this assignment."

"Ma'am." The Captain says as he comes closer to shake my hand.

"Sir." I stand to greet him, but I noticed something that until now has never happened to me. Anyone who knows me and the powers that I possess, have always greeted me with fear in their eyes, a cautious look on their face or a slight hesitation in their stance. That wasn't the case here with the Captain, which threw me off. He looked at me as if I was nothing more than a person and not a weapon of mass destruction.

Bruce merely waves at me and proceeds to look down at his feet. Compared to him, I must seem more sociable because he was just awful at it. When I turned back to look at Fury I couldn't help but notice the Captain hand him some money. I wondered what that was about, but I decided that it wasn't even worth asking. Fury accepts it and turns to talk to the Doctor but I tune them out not caring what they had to say. I hear the redhead from earlier saying something about not finding him in time and that's when I noticed she was talking about Clint. I looked down at my hands not wanting to believe what she said. We had to get to him in time. We had to save him. I hear the doctor tell them about a tracking algorithm he wants to map out and within the next minute, Director Fury is telling Agent Romanoff to take the man to the lab. I was left at the same place I had been waiting, confused about the fast change in events that just occured.

_Romanoff_, why does that name sound familiar. I kept thinking about it until it clicked. She's the infamous Black Widow Clint told me so much about, or at least tried to tell me about her. What's strange is the fact that she didn't look that tough to me, but then again looks can be deceiving I mean just look at me. If it wasn't for my prison uniform no one would think of me as a threat. Well other than the fact that my eyes are a swirling dark shade of pink, I look completely harmless. I stood at 5 feet 6 inches, and I weighed about 148 pounds. I had an hourglass figure (yes I was thick but not fat), fair skin, and thick wavy black hair. I looked like any normal Hispanic 17-year-old girl. Nothing dangerous until you get to know me.

My powers were nothing to sneeze at. I could control and absorb any type of radiation in the world. I could also expel a large amount of radiation from my body kind of like Shego from Kim Possible, except the color and intensity of the radiation I release is different. First off my radiation looks like fire whenever I shoot them at people, and they're the color of hot pink. I know it's an awful color, but it's not like I asked for this, it was simply forced onto me. I prefer the color blue but life seems to think of me as some sort of joke. Anyways back to my powers, I could also fly, I had super strength, durability, a small healing factor, and apparently enhanced sight, and agility. Yeah, no wonder S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted me on their side so bad. Too bad for them because I don't want to fight.

As I sat here thinking about this I hardly noticed the Captain come and sit next to me. He smiled at me with no hesitation or fear in his eyes as he asked: "So I guess this is new for you too?"

"Working for S.H.I.E.L.D.? No, I've worked with them once before. Being on an aircraft like this. Yeah gotta say it's a first for me Sir." I told him.

"You don't have to call me Sir, we're teammates I'm not your boss." He said still with a smile on his face.

"True but you did call me ma'am so I thought that it's what you would prefer to be called." I countered with. To this, I noticed he was taken aback slightly.

"Sorry, I forget that your era is different from mine. I noticed a lot of people can take offence to this or misunderstand me."

"Huh, well that's dumb of them and by the way that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" He asked me.

"Only that you were being polite and using the term ma'am when addressing me even though I'm younger than you, so I returned the favor with an equal amount of respect." I explained

"Oh. Sorry, it's just that I assumed you meant by my age, as in the fact I'm from the 1940's. I shouldn't have assumed." he explained awkwardly. I actually felt sorry for him, from what it sounds like he has to constantly explain and apologize for getting confused about the world around him simply because he was from a different time.

"It's okay really you don't have to apologize. I understand your from a different time period and it's understandable that you might get confused about certain things. Plus even people from my generation get confused on how we're supposed to act, so it's okay. Look I have a simple rule that I will treat someone the same way they treat me." I said to him "and for the most part I'll treat people the way they want to be treated, which means I'm not gonna judge you for accidentally getting confused about this time in age and how one would normally act in this era."

I saw him immediately relax after I told him all of that. "Thank you I appreciate that" I guess people really haven't been that understanding to his situation.

"No problem. I'll make a deal with you though." At that, he was confused once again "I'll treat you the way you should be treated so long as you do the same for me."

"Okay, but what does that mean exactly?" He asked me

"I'll treat you as a responsible young man and not an elderly man or as someone who is clueless so long as you treat me with the same amount of respect that you treat everyone else with."

"Easy." he smiled at me and said, "By the way you can call me Steve."

"Calliope, nice to meet you," I replied back with a small smile.

"Captain Rogers, do you mind coming with me I need to discuss something important with you." Said Coulson

"Of course I'll be there in just one second." he turns to me and excuses himself as he gets up to meet with Coulson. I nod my head back to signal a goodbye, and that's when I noticed Fury coming my way. He stands in front of the table with a smirk still on that smug face of his. Finally, I had enough "Something up Furry?"

"You smiled," he said his smirk never wavering not even for a minute.

"What's your point, am I not allowed to do that now?" He was starting to get on my nerves, so of course, my attitude began to flare.

"No, you can smile all you want. It's just that you haven't smiled since that day," he said softly.

"Well, there wasn't much to smile about since then."

"And now?" he questioned

"Not much. I smiled to be polite nothing more nothing less. Don't get confused Furry." I said with an irritated look on my face.

"No."

"No? What do you mean no?" I swear with these people they always do this. They never allow you to say what you want to say, but they'll tell you what to say and what it means. Typical really.

"No, you don't smile just to be polite, you smiled because he proved you wrong." At that I merely stared at him, confused by what he meant. "You expect people to treat you a certain way whether you like it or not. He treated you differently from what you expected and it surprised you. You're surprised that someone like that even exists."

" If you're expecting me to clap you on the back and say good job, you have another thing coming." although I couldn't deny the fact that he was right. The Captain did surprise me but that doesn't mean anything, and why was Furry analyzing this so intensely anyways. We just got here and he's already irritating me."Plus why do you care?"

"I don't, but if I know Barton any, then he would have come to tell you the same thing." he walked away after that. Okay, so I smiled once who cares. Sure Steve surprised me but why is Fury hyper-analyzing the situation? I guess he could be glad that maybe we could work well together on this assignment, but we just met so really nothing is set in stone. For all I know I could end up hating this dude and everything he stood for. Although he was the first person to actually meet me, already with the knowledge about my powers, and still treat me like a normal human being. Not a weapon to be feared.

"We got a hit. Sixty-seven percent match. Wait, cross match, seventy- nine percent." yelled Agent Sitwell. I guess they found Loki.

"Location?" asked Coulson

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding." I have to agree with Sitwell on that, this Loki doesn't seem to care about being caught in action.

"Captain, you're up." Steve nods his head and leaves to go get changed into his uniform. I get up to go when Fury stops me. "That won't be necessary Rodriguez."

"I'm sorry I thought this was the job, so why are you benching me? Wouldn't it make more sense to have me out there with him? Unless you have another job for me then?" He didn't respond and instead, he spoke through his comm set to tell Black Widow that she would be joining Captain Rogers. "Fury?"

"I need you here for something else." something else? Like what? Nothing and no one important is here except maybe Dr. Banner. That's when it clicked.

"I'm not here just to help get the cube back am I?" He continued to look forward and ignore my question. I'm getting really tired of people ignoring my questions so I stood up and walked over to him "I'm also here because of Dr. Banner, aren't I?"

"You are the only one we know who can go head to head with the Hulk and still walk away alive and well." He tried to explain to me. First off he was assuming this because who knows if I can actually take on the Hulk it's not like I ever fought him before. This is exactly why I hated S.H.I.E.L.D., because of all the secrets they had, and Fury like always was at the center of it all not caring how these secrets could affect the people around him. "Look we had to have a contingency plan just in case Dr. Banner loses control. You just so happen to be a part of that plan."

"Then do you mind sharing with the class what this plan is?" That's when Fury tells me about the cell, the same cell that if everything goes right tonight, Loki will soon be in. He tells me that all I have to do is force the Hulk into said cell and he'll take care of the rest. "Does Doctor Banner know about this plan, or are you just hoping he never finds out about it?"

"I don't want him thinking we're after the Hulk." He tells me, but what he doesn't realize is that for people like me and Banner we will always believe someone is after us for our powers, because why else would the world possibly want us. At this point I'm completely annoyed and all I want is to be left alone again.

"Do you have a room for me I'm tired and I don't particularly want to be around any of you at the moment." I told him bluntly. No point in hiding behind words when I can simply tell him the truth. He signals to a nearby agent to show me to my room, but before I leave he gives me a Comm set so he can get in contact with me when there's a new development in the case.

When I get to my designated room the agent tells me that if I want to change they have some spare clothes in the room for me. She also informs me on my new and improved uniform that they recently made for me. I thanked her and enter my room without another word. The room was simple nothing special about it. The room was small and had grey metal walls. On the far left corner you can see a twins size bed, with black and white sheets, and next to the bed was a small dresser. On the others side of the room I see a door that reads restroom. I go inside and see an equally dull and unimpressive bathroom. It had a normal sink, toilet, and shower. I guess they didn't waste their time with making pretty rooms, and invested more energy on other resources. That's fine by me it was still a step up from my prison cell.

I get to my bed and fall asleep almost immediately. That was a mistake I would later regret.


	4. Chapter 4: Is it a Dream or a Nightmare?

Hi everyone! I got the new chapter for Star Ray up early! I was going to wait until Saturday to put the new chapter up but I decided that there was no harm at uploading a new chapter tonight. NOTE that I will not always do this! The only reason I'm uploading on a Tuesday night is because I'm excited to share with all of you a part of Calliope's past. This might shed a little light on her current personality so hopefully you all like it. It is on the short side but I promise to make up for it in the next few chapters. Once again I don't own Marvel only my OC's.

_Memories/past _Present time

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"_Calliope wake up! CALLIOPE!" someone was screaming my name but who was it? I definitely knew them, but I couldn't put a face to the voice I was hearing. I don't have any friends so the list isn't very long on who it could be. " Calliope you have to wake up. Come on, kid!" It was definitely a male and he sounded pretty desperate, maybe I should wake up and reassure him that I was alright. Wait a minute, why was I asleep in the first place? I don't remember falling asleep recently, and wasn't I supposed to do something important? Did I forget to make dinner again? That's when it hit me._

_ "NOOO!" I screamed as I bolted upright trying to get back to my feet. I needed to help him! He's not okay and I have to help him before they try to kill him._

_ "Woah kid take it easy." Someone told me as they gently put their hands on my shoulders trying to calm me down and keep me from getting up. "Don't get up so fast you got hit pretty hard."_

_ I looked around and noticed that I was still in Aardwolf's warehouse, but I couldn't find Christopher anywhere the only one by my side was Clint. I needed to warn Clint about what happened maybe he could help me save him. "Clint he's gone!"_

_ "What do you mean? That monster, yeah I know, by the way where did that thing come from and where's your boyfriend?"_

_ "No Clint you don't understand that thing was Christopher!" I was freaking out I didn't know what to do any more at this point. This was not how we expected the mission to turn out. I should have never agreed to do this I'm only 16 years old, I'm a teenager, not a superhero. I'm supposed to be at my job not here saving the world from some psycho wanna be mutant gangster. I don't know what to do anymore and I'm panicking_

_ "What? Kid you're not making any sense. Okay, I need you to calm down, I can't help you unless you calm down and explain to me what happened. Okay, Calliope calm down." He brought me in closer as he tried to calm me down. Normally in a situation like this ordinary people would focus on their breathing, but since I don't need air I'm at a disadvantage. I had nothing to focus on to calm down, but I needed to at least try because if I didn't then I couldn't do anything for Christopher, and he needed me now more than ever._

_ "Okay, I'm okay, or at least as much as I can at the moment." I stuttered, still, a little rattled by today's events._

_ "Alright, do you want to explain what happened then because I just had to shoot a couple of arrows at a monster who didn't seem fazed by me in the least bit."_

_ "That's what I'm trying to explain to you, that was Christopher." Clint looked at me urging me to continue and explain what happened here. "Okay so after you got knocked unconscious, Christopher and I went in to attack Aardwolf and his goons. It took some time but we did it, but that's when we found the bomb. Aardwolf was going to detonate the bomb and turn everyone into monsters, and then-" I couldn't finish the story. I shut my eyes as tightly as I could just to forget about what just happen. Maybe if I tried hard enough I would wake up and this will all be a nightmare and I could continue with my life. I knew it wasn't possible, but what else could I possibly do at a time like this._

_ "Kid, what happened?" Clint asked softly_

_ "There was no time left. If we had waited any longer you would all be dead or worse. You would end up like us, or Aardwolf. I came up with the idea to absorb the radiation because we could handle the exposure to it, but I have never absorbed this much radiation before. Christopher said that he would do it since he had done it before, but that's when it all went wrong." I put my head into my hands as a sob came out "He managed to do it. He absorbed all the radiation but then he started to seize. I tried to help him but it was too late, and he mutated right in front of me. I tried to talk to him and make sure if he was okay but…. that's when he started to hit me. I didn't know how to react to what was happening so I just froze. The last thing I remember is getting blasted through the wall."_

_ "That's when I woke up actually," Clint told me "He was going to keep coming after you. He was looking for your body even after you got knocked unconscious, and I think if I hadn't had stopped him… he would have killed you. I distracted him for as long as I could and threw him off your scent, but the only way to do that was to send a few explosive's at his feet. The floor broke apart from underneath him and he fell into the sewers and that's when I lost him."_

_ "He was looking for me?" I asked him_

_ "Yeah but kid I don't think you should be happy about that. He obviously wasn't in his right state of mind he was still trying to kill you."_

_ "No, Clint you don't understand!" I yelled at him "What I meant was that he kept looking for me even when he was clearly unstable." Clint just stared at me confused about where I was going with this. "If he was looking for me, someone who he loves and even tried to kill me, who else will he look for in this state and try to kill? Let me remind you he doesn't like you guy in the very least!"_

_ "We need to find him and fast! Can you track him?"_

_ "It's not that easy he changed completely. Before I could because I had spent so many years with him and I knew what the radiation that ran through his veins felt like but that's not the case here. His chemical and biological makeup is different now the type of radiation running through him is different now, I can't track it anymore." I explained to Clint but before anything else could be said, Clint paused and answered his Comm set._

"_What? Hill I can't hear you?", Hill why was she calling? Whatever the case was it must have meant bad news because Clint went rigid and all the color from his face had drained. "Hold him off for as long as you can we're on our way. Okay, kid, we need to move now!" He said as he started to run to where we had left the car._

_ I flew to keep up with him "You said him just now does that mean they found him? Where are they?" Clint kept running as we left the warehouse, ignoring my questions. "Clint, what happened?"_

_ Something was off I could tell that much. Why was Clint ignoring my questions and why does he refuse to look at me. This whole day has been off and I couldn't understand why everything kept going downhill. First S.H.I.E.L.D. decides to move my sister to a safe house without giving us a proper reason about why they were moving her, then they chose to keep some sort of file from us (because it had nothing to do with this assignment), and now Clint won't tell me what was happening. I can't take it anymore they were making my anxiety rise with all the secrets they surround themselves' with. "Clint tell me what happened! I can't help if I don't know what's happening!_

_ I noticed he slowed down only slightly to respond to my question, but I could tell he didn't want to say anything. "He's at the safe house."_

_ I stopped moving completely as he told me this. He's at the safe house and from the sound of it he was attacking it, but what made my heart stop was the fact that Cristina was at the safe house and was now in danger. Without another word, I flew off leaving Clint behind. He would catch up eventually, but I needed to get to Cristina, my sister didn't have any powers she couldn't defend herself as I could. She was lucky enough to escape the experiments but now that left her at a disadvantage compared to the rest of us. I just needed to hurry up and get to her. The safe house we were operating in was on the other side of town, so If I hurried I could save my sister and get her to our apartment then come back and try to help Christopher before they hurt him._

_ Everything was a blur as I hurried to my sisters' location, but by the time I got there, it was too late. I couldn't even process what I was seeing in front of me. I saw the building half destroyed as Agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to take Christopher down without getting killed themselves. Civilians were running everywhere trying to get away from the situation, but I didn't care about them or anyone else for that matter. They weren't important to me, their lives didn't mean anything to me in the slightest. All I cared about was saving my baby sister, but I was too late. Why-_

I woke up startled by what I had just dreamt of as tears streamed down my face. I hated those memories so much but I knew deep down that they will never leave me. That day will haunt me until the day I die and I deserve that after what happened and how I had failed them. I sat there holding myself trying to forget that awful dream that plagued me every night since the day I had lost them. No, it wasn't a dream…. it was a nightmare, I thought to myself. Nothing that awful could ever be considered a dream. Dreams were beautiful and exciting events that you hope one day will become reality, this was the opposite of that. I sat there lost in thought trying desperately to forget the moment my life fell apart before my very eyes. I could still remember the amount of blood that we all shed that day. I could still feel it running across my skin as if I was still holding her in my arms.

Sometime later I get notified that Loki was in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and that they were on their way back to the helicarrier. The only downside to this is that we still have no sign of where Clint went. What we do have is basically a group of man-children who have fought over Loki like he is a toy. Men I swear. Well, what should I expect when I'm told that Thor and Stark have just joined in on the search for the tesseract.

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Hi again I hope all of you like this weeks chapter! No, that doesn't mean I won't post this Saturday I won't make you guys wait. Feel free to send me a message if you have a question and leave a review. If you notice any mistakes please let me know right away! I can't improve the story if no one tells me that something is wrong and I want to make sure all of you enjoy the story.


	5. Chapter 5: Time to Change

Hi guys here's the chapter as promised hope you guys enjoy. I do not own Marvel only my OC's.

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I was the last one to reach the bridge or at least that's what I thought when I entered the room. When I got there, I saw Steve and Natasha sitting at the table both of them at different ends. Bruce was standing at the back of the room while Thor was standing at the very front with Maria Hill not far behind him. "So I'm assuming he's here to help?" I asked no one in particular. Never let it be said that I don't get down to business.

"I am, and who are you?" He stares down at me as if he was confused by my existence. I guess I can't be too hard on him since I am the only teen here.

"This is Calliope Rodriguez, and she's here to help with the mission to get the Tesseract back." Maria Hill stated. I guess they really weren't gonna be bold enough to tell Bruce that I'm also here to make sure he doesn't kill anyone. Smart move if you're stupid enough to lie to a powerhouse like him. One day they're going to realize that keeping so many secrets will only bring more harm than good.

"What exactly are we doing here? Loki is in our custody what are we sitting around the table for?" Since I was one of the two people in the team that stayed behind I'm not too sure what was going on.

"Yes, Loki is in custody, but he doesn't have the Tesseract, which means we still have a lot of work to do," Natasha said from her seat. "They're putting him in his cell now if you want to watch." From where I was standing you can see a video of Loki who was standing in the middle of his cell as the door slides shut behind him. I waste no time finding a seat next to the Captain to get a better look at the other man.

To say that I expected more was an understatement. The man isn't very menacing when you took a good look at him. He certainly looked like a cocky son of a gun, but not much else. Kind of disappointing actually, I mean wouldn't anyone be disappointed when they see a skinny, greasy toothpick at the center of this drama.

Finally, I hear Fury begin to speak to this man "In case it's unclear. You try to escape. You so much as scratch that glass." I then see him move around and push some buttons, and the floor beneath the cell disappears. "Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Fury pushes another button to bring back the floor. He points to Loki and says, "Ant." then points back to the button "boot." Wow Fury, dramatic much?

Loki just smirks at Fury completely unfazed by the turn of the events, "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger than you."

"Oh, I've heard." Loki turns away from Fury to look at the camera near his cell. "The mindless beast makes play he's still a man. I wonder who will be the one to put that thing in here? Will it be Thor or your shooting star? Will she even be able to handle it or will she collapse under the pressure?" Okay, I know that last comment was meant for me. I can practically feel my body tense up at his words. This man may not look like the bad guy but he certainly talks like one. I could also feel someone watching me, but I didn't bother looking up to meet their gaze. Loki continues his rant finally looking back at Fury, "How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill `cause it's fun." Fury steps closer to the cage and I can tell he's done playing games." You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."

"Ooh, It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."

Fury just smiles at him, but it's the type of smile that scream 'You're gonna regret this.' I'm glad it's Loki in that cell and not me because I can tell Fury was going to make him pay for everything he's done. "Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something." After that, the video shuts off with Fury walking away from Loki.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" I'm so done with Banner at this moment, that sarcastic comment was not needed at a time like this.

It's Steve who finally gets us back on track, "Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?"

"He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract." Thor informs us.

"Well, then that begs the question, whose army is it? From what Thor just said, it's not from any world that he knows of and I doubt it's some nobody, because even if I never saw or heard of this army before, a man like Loki wouldn't act this confident if the army wasn't powerful. Whoever is pulling the strings behind the scenes is the person we should be focusing on. We should also be worried about what would happen if said person doesn't get his way and what that could mean for all of us." I concluded. I noticed all the adults were staring at me as if I had just sprouted a second head which confused me. "What?"

"Nothing I'm still just trying to wrap my head around the fact that an army from outer space is coming," Steve told me. It's official this poor man does not deserve this and needs to be sent back in time to the 1940s.

"That's what he needs Erik Selvig for. To build another portal." Dr. Banner finally stated, pulling my attention back to the Tesseract issue. Plus, that would make sense I heard that this Selvig was a genius.

"Selvig?" Thor questioned

"He's an astrophysicist."

"He's a friend," Thor told us. Huh, it never said in his file that Thor knew that man, but then again there was a lot of information that wasn't on the records.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours," Natasha spoke up from the other side of the table, I had actually forgotten that she was here for a second. Although I couldn't help but feel sad about what Natasha had said. I felt awful that Clint was still missing and serving a criminal like Loki. I just hope that when he breaks free from the mind control that he doesn't blame himself for everything that happened. He doesn't deserve that type of pain and regret for something he had no control over.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here." Steve brought up a very good point.

"Yeah, I don't understand that either. There's nothing to gain by being here. He's away from those who serve him, he's trapped, and now that glow stick he's been using against us is in our possession. He can't do anything, so why allow himself to get caught when he could have gotten away?" There were so many things that just weren't adding up, and it honestly irritated me that I couldn't figure any of this out.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki." Banner said "That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him. I think what Calliope said earlier, about focusing on the person who's working behind the scenes, now that will be more beneficial to us than worrying about Loki."

"Have care how you speak," Thor said, and he obviously didn't like how we thought of his brother, even if what we said was true." Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother."

"He killed eighty people in two days." Natasha pointed out.

"He's adopted," Thor muttered.

"Wait a minute I know you did not just go off on Banner, only to back down that quickly one second later," I yelled out before I could stop myself. I couldn't believe how Thor was so quick to throw Loki, his brother, under the bus by saying that he's doing all of this because he's adopted. As if that was a proper reason to excuse this whole situation.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused," I told him. I could practically feel Thor's annoyance radiating from him by what I said. Alright sure I was being petty and a bit childish, but honestly he had it coming to him. "Que? Que quieres Hamlet? You don't like it when someone points out the obvious? Well, then next time don't say anything stupid. Plus who cares that you and Loki are from Asgard? No one gives a darn about that. What we care about is the fact that he came onto OUR planet acting like the queen bee, and last time I checked he's not Beyoncé."

"Watch how you speak to me mortal."

"Or what? You gonna hit me? Well, hotshot you best believe Imma come at you with all I got if you or your psychotic brother lay a hand on me." I was done playing games with these people.

"Alright, that's enough." Steve looked at both of us clearly annoyed by the way we were acting, "We're on the same side so let's stop arguing with one another and get back to what's important." I stay quiet after that. I now understand why they made him the Captain because his voice left little to no room for any argument.

"Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Bruce asked trying to steer us back to the main problem.

"It's a stabilizing agent." I looked to where the voice was coming from and that's when I see Tony Stark come in with Coulson by his side. He tells something to Coulson quickly before turning back to us. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D." What he did next honestly confused me though, because Stark just patted Thor's arm while he said "No hard feelings, Point Break you've got a mean swing."

Okay, something happened and I wanna know because Thor looked like he was two seconds from hitting Stark. I looked to Steve with one of my eyebrows raised silently asking what happened. He just shook his head and looked down at the table. Yeah, I can tell Steve was just fed up already. The poor man was not ready for all of this.

"Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants." Stark continues. "Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails. That man is playing GALAGA! Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did." What in the world? Is he being serious right now? I don't know whether to be impressed by the level of his carefree attitude or concerned. After that, he proceeded to cover one of his eyes and look around at the other monitors that surrounded him. "How does Fury do this?"

"He turns," Hill told him.

"Well, that sounds exhausting." Well, I had to agree with him there. That would get annoying if you had to turn every second to see something on one of those monitors. "The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high-energy density, something to kickstart the cube."

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Wait, so he wasn't an expert already? How smart is this guy?

"Last night. The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" Tony began to question us as he walked closer to the rest of the group.

"No, you aren't the only one." I told him "Although I'm pretty sure you're one of the two people who can actually understand it." I tried to explain to him. Look by no means am I stupid, but I'm not exactly a genius either.

"Well, at least your honest sweetheart." I narrowed my eyes at him when I heard him call me that. "Calliope right? Heard a lot about you, I gotta admit your power levels for someone so young as you are is extraordinary, but your name not so much. Star Ray, what's with that? I can understand why you chose Ray, I'm assuming it's short for Radiation, but the Star part is what baffles me. Is it because stars emit radiation or do you just like the name?

As Stark continued to ramble I noticed more eyes were on me than what I would have cared for so to end the discussion I quickly answered his question. "One don't call me sweetheart, and two I didn't choose the name Star Ray someone else did."

"Well, that's disappointing." He stated, but I'm not sure at which part he was referring to, maybe both.

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve brought us back to the topic at hand, and honestly, I was thankful for that.

"He's got to heat the cube to a 120 million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier." Banner explained to the whole group.

"Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect." Tony countered.

"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet."

"Finally, someone who speaks English."

"Is that what just happened?" Steve muttered.

"No, it's not, I can speak two different languages and I know that wasn't English, that was nerd talk." I have never felt so stupid in all of my life until I met Stark and Dr. Banner. One thing I could tell is that a bromance was blooming before my eyes between the two Geniuses.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." Well, at least Stark was being honest.

"Thanks." Banner said awkwardly as he looked down at the floor.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him." Fury said as he finally joined us at the bridge.

'"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon." Steve said.

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube." Fury told the Captain "And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."

"Monkeys? I do not understand." Thor must have never seen the Wizard of Oz, and that was a tragedy. The Wizard of Oz is a must see when you come to Earth because the movie is so iconic a bunch of pop culture references come from it.

"I do! I understood that reference." Steve pointed out. I couldn't help but bite back my laughter when he said that. It was just so funny how Steve was so proud of the fact that he knew a movie reference.

Clearly, Stark wasn't amused by what Steve had said because he immediately turns to Banner and asks "Shall we play, doctor?"

"Let's play some." They both leave at that moment and almost everyone else leaves the group to handle something else.

"Rodriguez." Fury calls out to me.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I need you to go change." He tells me.

"Change? Into what the uniform y'all made for me?" I didn't understand why I had to change into it when I was perfectly fine with the uniform I was wearing.

"Yes"

"No, I don't see the reason behind that when I can simply wear this," I said as I motioned to my outfit.

"Because while you are here you aren't a prisoner, you're an ally and I don't want anyone to get that confused." Fury told me as he looked down on me being completely serious.

"Fine, I'll change since it bothers you so much." I told him as I left the room to go and change. When I got back to my room, I automatically went straight to my dresser to get my new uniform out. The main reason I'm being this cooperative is that I really want to change out of my clothes anyways and now I have a good excuse to do so. I'm not ashamed about wearing my prison uniform but Fury may have a point. If I go out to fight as Steve did and they see me in this they just might think I'm the enemy, so I might as well change into something more comfortable, or at least I hope this new outfit is.

When I opened the dresser, I see some sock, new underwear and a bra. That was nice of them, and they did their homework because they were all in my size. Okay to anyone else this may seem stupid but prison clothes weren't always comfortable especially the underwear. I looked in another part of the dresser I see civilian clothes, but I don't bother putting those on, and I keep looking for the new uniform. I finally found it in the last slot, and all I can say is that I hate it so much.

It had pink on it, and I hate the color pink! I know my eyes and radiation are the color pink but come on why does it have to be on the uniform? I took the uniform and the boots that came with it and put them on top of the bed to get a better look at it. It was a two-piece leather outfit that had a high collared shirt and black pants with a pink sash that went around my waist. The whole outfit was black, and the shirt had a giant pink S on it that stretched from the mid-chest to the hem of my shirt. It had no sleeves which didn't bother me since the cold didn't bother me neither did the heat. They did give me gloves which had an odd but interesting design. At first, they look ordinary black gloves that reach just above my elbow until you put them on, that's when I realized apart of the glove acts like a wrap of sorts that reaches my shoulder.

Once I changed my clothes, I realized I missed a very important piece of clothing. Shoe's, that would be nice. I looked back to where I had left them on my bed and I slip them on. I had to admit I actually liked the boots they gave me to wear. The boots had pink at the very top and at the heel of the shoe while the rest of it was black. They came up to mid-calf and they were wedges, so they look cute but I also won't be twisting an ankle out in the field. As I looked over myself in the bathroom mirror I felt like I was still missing something, and no I didn't mean a mask. No point in wearing one of those things I was going back to prison soon enough. I walked back into the room, and that's when I saw it on the bed. It was a small pink butterfly brooch, very plain and simple. I couldn't believe they still had it and are now giving it back to me, I thought I had lost it forever.

I sat down on the bed holding it in my hands as I admired it. I may hate the color pink, all things girly, and insects, but I do love this brooch. My sister Cristina gave it to me when I first became Star Ray as a good luck gift, and she also told me it would keep me safe. I bring it up to my lips and kissed it as I remember that day. It felt so long ago and I missed my baby so much but she's gone and all I have left of her was this brooch. I decide that if Star Ray was coming back to fight one last time then Cristina's brooch is coming with me. I put the brooch on the sash by my left hip, and now I look ready to face the world with my sister by my side. Well, at least she was with me in spirit.

I left my room to go back to the bridge, and that's when I saw him and man he looked angry. Whoever got on Steve's bad side and made him look that angry was a dead man walking.


	6. Chapter 6: Partners?

Hey guys! Here's the new chapter I hope y'all like it as much as I do. This chapter is centered around the beginning of Calliope's friendship with Steve, and why she will end up respecting him so much. From what I've learned in the past it's the little moments in life that end up meaning the most to people. Also this will give a little light to how both Calliope and Steve feel about the situation they're in. In the Avengers movie I noticed Steve was very angry and it made sense because they brought back the same thing he lost his whole life for, so of course he's not happy. I think it will help Steve in the future to have someone like Calliope in a way they can relate to one another.

I don't own Marvel just my OC's

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What I was doing could be considered a lot of different things. Spying, being nosey, or rude, but I couldn't help it I was curious, plus he hasn't noticed me yet so what's the harm right? All I was doing was keeping an eye on him and last time I checked it wasn't illegal to do that.

"Is there a reason you're following me Calliope?" Darn it, I spoke too soon. This is why bad things happen to me, it's because I keep jinxing myself when it's not necessary for me to do so.

Accepting that I have just been caught I walked towards the Captain instead of keeping my distance from him. Once we were standing in front of one another I noticed that he was still looking at me and I realized I still haven't given him an explanation as to why I was spying on him. "Well, it's just that, um, okay I'm going, to be honest with you. You look mad and I'm nosey so I wanted to see where you were going, and what you were going to do because I have nothing better to do in the meantime." I told Steve hoping he wouldn't get mad at me. The last thing I needed was for him to get mad at me too.

"Well at least you're honest," he told me with a small smile. That smile didn't stay for long as he breathed out a long sigh, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Um, yeah sure."

"Alright but before I ask could you come with me." bewildered as I was I decided to follow him anyways, like I said I had nothing better to do at the moment. We kept walking until we found an empty room that Steve felt was safe enough to talk in. I wonder what this was all about, but I guess I'll find out soon enough. Without wasting a single second Steve turned to me and asked, "Do you trust S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"No." I answered without a hint of hesitation. I may not understand why he was asking me this question or what any of this was about but that won't stop me from answering him either. Plus who in their right mind would trust an organization of spies, they were trained to lie to everyone they knew, including each other. I learned from my past mistakes and never would I ever put my trust into this place or the people who work for it, and if I could save someone else from the trouble of learning all of that first hand like I did then I will. The Captain didn't deserve to be betrayed by these people.

"Why not?" I could tell Steve was getting more confused and frustrated as our conversation continued, but I could also tell he wasn't frustrated with me. I wondered what had happened that made him this frustrated in such a short amount of time. Just an hour ago he was ready to find the Tesseract and finish this once and for all, now he looked like he wanted nothing to do with any of this. Although there was one thing that was bothering me. Why would Steve care about what I have to say about S.H.I.E.L.D.? No one ever cared about my opinions so why would he? Maybe this way some sort of trick, but I don't think Steve was the type who would trick someone for their own benefit. Whatever it doesn't matter anyways because S.H.I.E.L.D. already knows I hate them, so it shouldn't cause a problem if I tell Steve.

"Because…" I couldn't tell him my entire back story, I hardly knew the man in front of me and I didn't trust him with that piece of information yet, or anybody else really. I knew I had to answer the question because clearly, Steve wouldn't have gone through the trouble of getting us alone if it wasn't for something important. Finally, I said, "They lie, keep secrets, and they don't care who gets hurt by their actions."

"I was afraid you would say something like that." Steve muttered as he leaned against the wall that was behind him. I guess the answer I gave him didn't help him in the least and if anything it may have made things worse for him. I should probably leave him alone to think things over now but I'm too nosey for my own good. Curiosity may have killed the cat but I'm feeling lucky today.

"Now it's my turn. Do you mind telling me what all of this was about?" That's when Steve told me about the conversation he had with Stark and Banner. Apparently, he not only disagreed with them but I could tell by the way Steve was describing it that Stark was not his favorite person in the world. He didn't sound childish when he told me what happened but anyone could detect the hint of irritation that laced Steve's voice when he talked about the genius. "Stark has a point you know."

"Does he?" Steve looked like he really didn't want to believe Stark, so hopefully, he'll listen to what I have to say. He has so far so maybe the trend will continue just a little while longer.

"You know how when we first met I told you I worked with S.H.I.E.L.D. once before." He nodded at me interested in what I had to say, which made sense. I mean what was a 17-year-old doing on an assignment like this anyways when I should be in school. I made sure that nowhere in my records did it say exactly what had happened that day. It was apart of the contract I signed in order to be sent to prison by S.H.I.E.L.D. "When I was working with them they kept trying to hide some pretty important details from me and my partner. Those details that were so essential that without it ended with everyone losing a great number of opportunities and…. people." I said quietly " Look you don't have to listen to us but you seem like a good guy at the very least so I'm going to be straightforward with you, don't trust anyone here or you'll regret it, Steve."

"No one?"

"Not a single person Steve. This isn't the 1940's where you can leave your door unlocked and nothing would happen to you. This is the 21st century and you can't even go to school without being wary about your surroundings because a shooting could occur at any second. Don't even trust your own shadow because if you do it will only stab you in the back and claim that you enjoyed it."

"What about you?" I was so shocked when I heard him ask that question, that for a second I didn't know how to respond. Why would he even consider me, a 17-year-old girl, trustworthy?

"You would consider trusting me? No one in their right mind would trust someone like me." I said in disbelief. Was this guy out of his mind or is there still some part of his mind that needs defrosting.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm me," I said that as if it was answer enough because to most it was. Apparently, it wasn't enough for the man in front of me because he continued to look at me waiting for the answer that would convince him that he should stay away from me. "I'm a convict, a weapon of mass destruction, and to most a child so why would someone trust me. No one ever has before." Other than Cristina and Christopher no one has ever trusted me with anything, not even Clint. "Why would you even consider it?"

He looked at me for a minute and it slightly unnerved me to have him look at me with those honest blue eyes where nothing seemed to hide. "Because you're different." he tells me.

"What do you mean by that?" It drove me insane hearing someone say that as if there was no need for an explanation.

"I mean that, since I got here you haven't lied to me once, you didn't treat me like I'm clueless simply because I'm from the '40s, and you don't hide how you feel. You're blunt and it's something that I appreciate considering how many times I've been lied to since waking up. By the way, I read that you asked to be incarcerated so technically you wouldn't be considered a convict. You haven't been charged with anything." he told me honestly "By the way before I forget to tell you, you're wrong."

I was so amazed by what he had just said that I almost didn't catch that last part. "Excuse me? What am I wrong about?"

"You aren't a weapon of mass destruction. You're just a young woman with powers."

I let out a small laugh at that, "That's not what everyone else says"

"Well, then they're wrong because you're an innocent person, not an object that should be considered a weapon. If anything you're a hero."

"I'm no hero," I whispered.

"I saw the video, and I read the files on you, there is plenty of proof to show me otherwise. You may not believe it but I'm sure there are others who will say the same thing as I did." After that Steve began to walk away but I called out to him to stop, "Yes?"

"Where are you going? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to look for some evidence and see if Stark was right."

"Alright then let me help you." I offered before I could stop myself. Steve looked confused and it was easy to tell why he would be. I basically told him I didn't trust him to his face and that he shouldn't trust me either, yet here I was offering him my help in something that could be considered illegal. It's a good thing I already live in a maximum security prison or else I might actually be worried. Plus what else do I have left to lose if I help this man, the only thing S.H.I.E.L.D. will do is yell at me and stick me back in solitary, no harm done. "You're gonna need a partner to back you up, and since I'm too curious for my own good I think I'm your best shot. By the way, do you even know where to start looking?"

"Do you?" I only gave him a smirk as I told him to follow me. That S.H.I.E.L.D. agent from earlier who walked me to my room just so happened to mention a few other things, including the hull hangar that had a Secure Storage room labeled 10-C. If I had to guess she must have been a fan of mine, Clint told me I had a few. She must have wanted to look cool in front of me because I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to know that, but hey I'll take all the help I can get. When we got there we realized the door couldn't be opened without the proper security clearance, and I was going to force it open when Steve told me to check if anyone was nearby. I looked around quickly and told him it was only us, and it was at that moment that he opened the door to the room. He motioned for me to go in first, so I carefully crept in making sure I was quiet so that I wouldn't draw any attention to us. Steve followed me in leaving the door wide open behind him.

"Shouldn't we close the door? If we leave it open it'll look suspicious and someone will come looking for us." Steve nodded his head at me so I went back and quietly shut the door with ease. When I turned back around it was to find Steve staring at me his mouth slightly opened. "What?"

"Nothing I just forgot that you had super strength. If I had remembered earlier I definitely would have allowed you to open it and not pry it open myself." He told me with a small smile. Steve started to look around the storage room when he asked me, "Where do you think we should start?"

"I have no clue? I've never done anything like this before."

"Alright then, the best thing to do is probably get to the second level. I don't see any stairs so we might as well jump up to that catwalk over there. Give me a second and I'll pull you up.", as Steve got ready to jump up to the catwalk I gently but firmly put my hand on his shoulder.

"Allow me," I told him before putting my arm around his waist and flying us both up there. I could tell I startled him because by the look on his face I knew he didn't expect that "I believe you also forgot that I can fly."

"I did but I'm glad that you at least stopped me this time from doing something that was unnecessary." I rolled my eyes at him as we began to search our surroundings for anything suspicious.

It was quiet as we begun our search and I wasn't a big fan of that. Maybe it was because I've never done anything like this before, or that it feels like a trap but I decided something needed to fill the silence. "I heard you have a good memory."

I didn't bother to turn around to look at the captain and continued my search. I thought he wasn't going to answer me but a moment later I heard. "I do, it came with the rest of my… abilities. I can memorize different things in a matter of seconds and retain that information for years it seems. Not that I'm trying to show off."

"Oh no that's not why I asked. I'm asking because you forgot my powers yet you have an excellent memory, so what's up with that?"

"Well, you have to admit with everything going on it's kind of hard for me to keep track of everything, even I'm not perfect."

"I know what you mean." I muttered.

"Do you?" Steve mumbled although I don't believe he meant for me to hear that. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude it's just that… everyone keeps telling me they understand and none of them actually know how it feels to be in this position."

"You're right I don't know how it feels like to be you or face the challenges you have to deal with each day." I told him softly as I continued my search still not bothering to turn around and look at him. "What I meant is that I understand how it feels to get thrown into a situation like this and have no idea on how to deal with it. To come out of it with your life in complete disarray and be expected to keep marching on as if your whole life didn't just come apart at the seams. To keep fighting when you're just exhausted, and it's the kind of tired that sleep doesn't fix and if anything it makes it worse. They give you a job that either you don't want to do or you have no clue if you can do it and expect you to get it done perfectly without all the information. They put you on some sort of pedestal all alone and they tell you that they understand how you feel, but in reality they have no clue how it feels."

"You aren't alone." Those three little words somehow affected me more than any of Clint's little speeches ever have, and maybe it was because I knew that Steve has gone through something similar as I have, but in the end, it helped. After that, we settled into a comfortable silence as we searched everywhere for our "evidence".

I don't know how much time had passed as we searched for something incriminating but it became clear to me that without a specific item to search for we really didn't know what to do or what we could term as evidence. "Steve this is pointless unless we actually know what we're looking for and we clearly don't."

"Then maybe Stark was wrong." Steve mumbled, "Maybe S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't hiding anything from us?"

"You're going to tell me this flying fortress that most of the world doesn't even know exists or that technology like this is even possible, is not hiding something from us." I told him while I gave him the "look" that every man hates.

"I hope so because if that isn't the case then I don't know what I'm doing here." this was really bothering him that they might be keeping things from us. It's not that it doesn't bother me either, but I was just so used to this I expected nothing better from S.H.I.E.L.D. or the people who work for them.

"Why is this such a big deal to you?" I couldn't help but ask him since it was causing him so much frustration.

"Because no one should be lied to if they're working together. We're supposed to be working together not against each other trying to get the upper hand on one another." He looked up at me for what he said next. "I'm not going to lose someone because of their secrets and I'll make sure you don't either."

This man just continued to shake me to the core every time he spoke to me. Do men like this even exist anymore? "Why should you care if I lose someone?"

"No one should have to feel alone and tired all the time."

"Let's keep looking," I told him. The area we walked into next was a large room with crates and cases stacked everywhere. "This looks like a good place to search next." I began to look in the far left side of the room for anything that might look suspicious. This went on for a while until I reached the middle of the room where I found something that I didn't really know what to do with. It was a case that had an odd-looking mask inside of it and next to it was a bulky looking gun. I was about to shut it when I saw something that caught my eye, something that shouldn't be there. On the gun was an emblem of the organization that has been dead since the 1940s, it was Hydra. "Steve come here."

"Did you find something?" I didn't even respond to his question, and instead, I moved to one side so that he could see the contents inside of the case. I couldn't see Steve's face but I knew if the organization I was helping out, had weapons that I gave my life up to save the rest of the world from, inside of their storage room I would be furious. "Where did you find this?" he asked quietly.

I wasted no time pointing out to Steve where I had found that case, and within the next minute Steve was pulling out another case that was identical to the one we were already looking at. More Hydra equipment was found and this time I could tell Steve was livid when he peered over his shoulder to look at me. "Don't trust anyone, huh."

"What are you going to do now that we found this?" I wasn't sure if Steve could do anything or if it was even a good idea to let him do anything.

"I'm going to the lab and I'm showing this to Stark and Banner, they wanted to know what S.H.I.E.L.D. was hiding so I'm going to let them see it in person."

"What are you going to do if Fury catches you with that?"

"Confront him." he told me seriously with no hint of hesitation in his voice, "Are you with me?"

"Yes." I don't know why I said that or even why I felt so determined now, but that doesn't change the fact that I walked down to the lab side-by-side with Steve.

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I hope everyone liked this weeks chapter and like always if you have any questions please let me know. Also I know at this point we will be hitting mid-point of the Avengers movie but I'm planning to do more of her back story in the coming chapters and a few other things. If you have any suggestions please let me know.


	7. Chapter 7: Time Bomb

Hey guys I'm sorry for the late update I had a busy weekend and I couldn't get it up in time. Here's the new chapter I hope you guys like it and as always I don't own my Marvel.

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"And you'll get your cube back, no muss, no fuss." That was the first thing we heard Stark say as we entered the lab with both scientist and the director were having a discussion in, "What is PHASE 2?"

That's when Steve decided to interrupt their conversation by dropping the Hydra weapon on the table, "PHASE 2 is S.H.I.E.L.D. uses the cube to make weapons. Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow." To say that Steve was upset would be an understatement, and I could tell Fury didn't expect this to happen by the look on his face but he did his best to cover it up.

"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're-"

"I'm sorry, Nick." I saw Stark move the screen he was messing with when we entered the lab towards the rest of us which shows plans of, what I'm assuming Phase 2 was. On the screen, you could see the schematics on the Hydra weapons like the one we found. "What were you lying?"

"I was wrong, director. The world hasn't changed a bit." Steve told him bluntly.

"Did you have something to do with this?" Fury asked me out of nowhere.

"What? Oh, you mean finding the weapon. Well then yes I was the one who found it. I had no clue it was a part of Phase 2 but I do know that Hydra used the Cube to power their weapons. I mean it was all over the files for Captain America and the cube itself." I don't understand why he was so angry with me it's not like I did something wrong it was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fault for doing something like this behind everyone's back.

"Not what I meant. What I mean is, did you instigate this whole situation?"

"No, I didn't actually, I'm kind of insulted that you thought that I would. By the way, what could I possibly gain by starting a fight?" I asked Fury

"Being thrown back in prison, not having to deal with any of this." Fury shot back.

"Wow, no faith in me whatsoever, huh Furry? Although that does sound great you might want to remember we made a deal that I would help S.H.I.E.L.D until Clint was found. Now I can't do that if I'm in prison so no I didn't start this whole thing." I told Fury honestly trying my best to not sound rude which was more difficult than I thought it would be. Fury didn't say a word as he continued to look at me as if he didn't believe a word I just said which I'm pretty sure he didn't. "Look Steve came and asked me a simple question which evidently led to me helping him find these weapons and now confronting you about it."

"He came and asked you out of all people a question?" Fury asked me with a questioning look in his eye.

"Yes as hard as that is to believe he asked me. Not you which was an incredibly smart move on his part because who in their right mind would ask the master of spies a question? Honestly, you people aren't trustworthy and that goes double for you." I told him with a smug look on my face.

"What was the question?"

"I don't see why you need to know that when you haven't explained the reason behind Phase 2. Really Fury? Hydra weapon? As if this world wasn't bad enough, you really wanted to add this to the mix after Steve did everything he could back in the 40s to put a stop to it. I guess you people never learn." I was furious at this point with him. How dare he try to find some way to put the blame on me when he still hasn't explained himself. It really makes me wonder if S.H.I.E.L.D. should have the Tesseract or if that thing should be in anyone's hands at all.

"What was the question, Rodriguez?"

"The question was if she trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. or not, and I can now see why she doesn't." Steve spoke up for me already irritated with Fury for dodging the questions about Phase 2. "Now do you want to explain yourself."

Instead of answering one of our questions Fury decided to ask another one of his. "Did she tell you why she doesn't trust us, or did she just tell you not to?"

"She told me you kept important information from her and that in the end, it led to the loss of life which could have been avoided if you had just told her the truth."

"You see that's not entirely true-"

"SHUT UP!" I cut Fury off before he could say anything else my eyes glowing a menacing pink from what Fury had tried to tell them. "It was your fault what happened that day so don't even try to say otherwise. If you hadn't kept so many secrets from me none of that would have happened. By the way, I know you think you're slick by redirecting everyone's attention but I know your tricks so don't even try it! Now, do you finally want to explain what Phase 2 is?"

There was only silence in the room, and the tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. I could tell they wanted to know what had happened in my past that would get me this angry but I wasn't ready to tell them, or anyone for that matter. We were all standing there waiting to see who would be the first one to speak next when Thor and Romanoff walked into the room.

Banner automatically questions Romanoff, "Did you know about this?"

She ignores his question with her own statement, "You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor."

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed."

"Loki's manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what exactly?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy." As I watched the spy and the doctor go back and forth all I could do was stand there in shock. I've never seen Banner get like this before and it was so odd and unnerving to watch him get increasingly angry with each passing second. This was the same man who stood awkwardly to the side when I first met him and looked at the floor when he didn't know what to do or say. As Banner continued to speak to the rest of us I could only watch in slight astonishment. "I'd like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

"Because of him." Fury told us bluntly, but by the look on Thor's face, he was confused by the new direction the conversation was now taking.

"Me?" Thor asked

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly and hilariously, out-gunned." Well, I could see his point when Fury explained it like that I mean I read the files so I knew what he was talking about.

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor tried to counter with but I couldn't stay quiet once I heard him say that.

"Really your people want peace?" I asked him, "Because last time I checked your diva of a brother came to our planet wanting to enslave the human race. I'm sorry but on earth, that's not called peace, hate to burst your bubble Crocodile Dundee but those are the facts." I could hear Stark snort from somewhere behind me as he tried to contain himself. Who else would be laughing at a time like this other than him?

"I grow tired of your insolence child, how dare you speak to me in such a manner. You remind me of the one you call Stark, disrespectful to those around you with little care of how you treat them. I also have no idea what you two keep calling me." Thor took a step towards me but Steve slightly positioned himself between us as did Fury.

"Did you notice that you didn't deny what I just said meaning I'm right," I told him with a cocky attitude.

Before Thor could reply Fury stepped back in, "Whether your right or not Rodriguez, the main issue is that Thor and his people aren't the only ones out there, now are you?" The end of that question being directed to Thor, "And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled."

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve questioned

Thor chose this moment to step forward with his own views, "Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"A higher form?!" Steve and I said at the same time. This can't be true, how can something like this be true? Earth can't even handle the wars going at the moment let alone an intergalactic feud.

"You forced our hand" Fury tried to explain, "We had to come up with something."

"Nuclear deterrent! 'Cause that always calms everything right down." Stark said sarcastically from where he was standing.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?" Dang, Fury had him there.

"I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck-deep." Steve added

Stark jumped into the argument surprised that both the Director and Steve were teaming up against him. "Wait-Wait! Hold on! How is this now about me?"

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" I don't know where this petty side of Steve came from but I liked it.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this." Thor stated

"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Fury asked him

"I am your champion."

"Woah, who in the world told you that you were our champion?" I couldn't help but ask Thor this question.

"Asgard has always defended your people from harm."

"Really because I don't see how this is true when so much turmoil and destruction is happening because of your people. Do you see a trend here? Because if you don't then you're a moron."

"Enough child for I am your Champion and I would never cause your people any pain or suffering. Have some faith, there is no need to mistrust me."

"Are you people really that naïve? S.H.I.E.L.D monitors potential threats." Romanoff interrupted.

"And Captain America is on the threat poll?" Banner asked with a great amount of disbelief and amusement.

"We all are." Romanoff told him as if she was explaining herself to a child which was odd to hear considering that Banner is a genius.

"That's not your concern doctor!" Fury told Banner.

"You're on that list? Are you above or below angry bees?" Stark quipped at Steve.

"I swear, Stark, one more crack." Steve threaten

"Verbal threat! I feel threaten!"

"Show some respect!"

"Respect what!"

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!" I yelled gaining the entire group's attention, "You are all acting like children, which is surprising since you are all supposed to be adults!"

"Look who's talking it's Miss Congeniality."

"Really Stark that's all you got what are you having some performance issues?"

"Watch it, kid, I'm not the one who's trying to act like she's the biggest and baddest person in the room that's you." He stated as he pointed his finger at me.

"Yes, you're right Stark that is how I'm acting isn't it? Do you wanna know why I act this way? I act this way because I know I can win in a fight against anyone of you. I act this way because that's the way the world told me to act. I act this way because the world never showed me an inch of mercy so I refuse to do the same for others." I snarled at him as I took a step in his direction not realizing that my eyes were once again glowing. "While you were fed with a silver spoon I had to fight for the scraps only to give them away in the end instead of keeping them for myself. I act this way because you people made me this way without my permission as you strapped me down to a table as I screamed. I am who I am because the world made me this way and now that I repulse you people, you choose to shun me. Excuse me if I act exactly how the world raised me to be, a weapon without mercy." When I looked into Stark's eyes I saw his fear and chose at that moment to gather myself so that I wouldn't cause a bigger scene. It's bad enough that I let so much information slip through my lips there was no reason I should add-on to it.

"You need to learn to control yourself, Rodriguez." Fury told me.

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos!" Thor yelled

"It's their MO, isn't it? I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're- we're a time bomb." Banner told us in the end and at this point, I couldn't help but agree with him.

"You need to step away." Fury reminded him

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony asked the group. Is this man really that stupid to think an out of control Banner is what anyone needed? Luckily for me, Steve already had an answer for that, or at least it sounded like he did.

"You know damn well why! Back off!" yeah very eloquent of you Steve you're doing great.

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me." honestly the more Stark actually speaks the worse this situation becomes.

"Yeah, big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." Well, he's not wrong.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire."

Steve looked at all of us before looking back at Stark and saying, "Always a way out. You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero, like you? You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle." That was a low blow even for Stark.

Steve just smirks at him and I could tell it was about to get ugly as I looked at the two of them beside Fury, "Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds."

"You people are so petty, and tiny." Thor said out of nowhere.

"You know what Thor you may be thicker than a piece of steak but I'm pretty sure you're just as petty as any single one of us." I yelled at him.

"Ah yes coming from the child who was never taught any manners." I was about this close from smacking Thor upside his stupid head.

"Yeah, this is a team." Bruce said sarcastically.

"Agent Romanoff, would you escort Dr. Banner back to his-"

"Where? You rented my room." Bruce told Fury "And aren't you asking the wrong person to escort me? I thought the kid was my handler?"

I bowed my head in shame at that comment "Man, I knew he was gonna figure it out."

"Wait you mean to tell me that you already knew about this and chose not to tell anyone that you're simply here to put the doctor down?" Steve asked me and I could hear the confusion in his voice but more importantly, I could hear the betrayal lacing every word that left his mouth. "What are you waiting to take down everyone else too?"

"What? NO of course not!" I told Steve.

"Seems like the kid isn't as innocent as you thought," Stark said from beside Steve.

When I looked back at the Captain I could see the trust he placed in me leave and it actually hurt me to witness that. "No, Steve it's not what you think."

"Really then what is this? You said not to trust anyone and not to trust you either, now I understand why you said that." I couldn't believe it my own words came to bite me back in the end like this. Before I could say anything else Fury gives me a look before directing his attention towards Banner.

"Rodriguez was only going to help us should you lose control and the cell was just-"

"IN CASE YOU NEEDED TO KILL ME. BUT YOU CAN'T, I KNOW, I TRIED!"

That brought the room to complete silence, even I was shocked by what Banner had just said. "I got low. I didn't see an end so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out. So I moved on, I focused on helping other people. I was good until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk. You wanna know my secret, Agent Romanoff? You wanna know how I stay calm?"

Everyone at this point was watching Dr. Banner, and if one paid close attention to each person in the room you would notice each of us reach for a weapon or tense up, ready for a fight. I didn't think we could push Banner to the point that he would grab the scepter to use it against us, but then again it's not like we actually knew each other. We stood there waiting to see who would be the first to make a move.

It was Steve who broke the silence, "Doctor Banner, put down the scepter." he told him calmly but with a hint of authority to his voice. It was in that moment I realized that Banner wasn't even aware he had grabbed the scepter because he looked down at his hand as if he had never seen it before. Was it instinct to grab the scepter or did it call to him? Whatever it was it didn't help the situation we were all faced with until we heard a beep that distracted us.

"Got it." Fury stated so I could only assume that they found the Tesseract.

"Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my party trick after all." Banner told us

"Located the Tesseract?" Thor automatically asked the doctor

"I can get there faster." Tony stated

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard, no human is a match for it."

"And apparently your people shouldn't be trusted with it either." I told him as I walked towards Thor. "It should be locked away from everyone"

"You're not going alone!" I heard Steve yell from behind me. When I turned back around to see what was going I noticed Steve was stopping Stark from going off alone only to have his hand slapped away.

"You gonna stop me?" Stark stepped up to Steve and when he said this to him all I could think was that this was not the time or place to fight. We just found the cube we shouldn't be fighting over it because what we need to do is grab the Tesseract before Thor does. Okay so maybe I'm being a bit hypocritical, but who cares.

"Put on the suit, let's find out!"

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man."

"Put on the suit."

"Stop arguing alre-" I was cut-off and sent flying in a matter of seconds. I wasn't sure what happened and at first, I thought that maybe Thor had hit me or something, but as I sat back up and allowed my mind to clear I noticed that the entire lab had been blown apart. We had been bombed, the team was scattered, and I don't know where anyone was at this point. The only person I could see nearby me was Fury who was still knocked out. I made my way to him and gently shook him. "Fury are you alright? Fury answer me!"

"Ugh… Rodriguez, what happened?"

"We were hit by what I assume was a bomb, so you need to get up." Fury nodded and immediately reached for his comm to get in contact with Hill. Apparently, the explosion was aimed at engine three which meant only 3 engines were left in play, and if one more got destroyed the helicarrier would fall and nothing would be able to stop it from crashing. Stark and Steve were on their way to engine three to make repairs to prevent the worse from happening, and Romanoff said that she and Banner were fine. "Okay, so that only leaves Thor unaccounted for. He's strong so I'm not worried about him, but what about us Fury? What do we do?"

"We need to get back to the bridge. I can't do anything here and we may need your help up there."

"Alright, stand behind me I'll clear the way." There was no time to waste so with that I got up making sure Fury was behind me as I led the way back to the bridge at a run, and if any enemy forces came across us I was quick to eliminate them by either sending a burst of radiation their way or grabbing that person and throwing them against the wall. Within no time we made it back to the bridge and Fury started to make rapid-fire commands trying his best to get everything back in order. I'm not really sure what to do at the moment so instead of getting in the way of someone I stood to the side by a metal railing waiting for instruction on what to do next. It's not like I was trained for this situation, and to be completely honest I don't have any type of training I just throw my weight around in any situation while hoping for the best. I would be considered the worst hero out here since I never have a clue on what I'm supposed to be doing.

I see Hill walk in front of me and I move closer to the railing so I wouldn't get in her way but out of nowhere, she yells something about a grenade. I wasn't even aware I could move that fast or that I had moved in the first place, it was more of an out-of-body experience for me to say the least. One minute I'm standing to the side to avoid getting in the way and the next minute I'm grabbing Hill and holding her close to me as we're sent flying due to the bomb. I did my best to angle my boy so not only would I get the brunt of the blast but I would also take the impact when we fell. What possessed me to save this woman I will never know but I looked to Hill who, I was still holding protectively to my chest, and I asked her "Are you okay?"

She didn't bother to respond as she quickly got up took her gun out and shot one of the armed men responsible for the grenade in the head. "Yeah, I think I'm okay."

"I would assume so since you just killed someone without trying!" I yelled back at her.

"Enough talking more fighting" I could hear Fury yell in my direction.

After that, it was a bit of a blur since more of Loki's men came in to fight us, with their guns raised. I moved in to fight them with Hill and Fury not too far behind me acting as back up. We were a pretty good team as I would take the lead in crushing our enemies while they took out anyone who tried to sneak past me. As I was reaching over once again to grab one of the men to knock him out I heard the intercom state that Thor and Hulk were fighting on research level four and that two and three were gone. So that's where Thor went but why was he fighting the Hulk? Did the doctor lose control or did he never have it in the first place?

"Sir, the Hulk will tear this place apart!"

"Hill's right Fury! We have to put an end to this." I've read the reports and if anything I'm pretty sure they watered down the stories which means we're in big trouble if this fight continues.

"What do you suggest?" Fury questioned me

"Don't ask Fury. You had me come on board for a reason now it's time that I followed through with it. Do you trust me?" I asked him as I looked him in the eye.

"Be careful." He told me and after that, I was off to deal with the Hulk. I flew as fast as I could to research level four, and when I got there I barely had the chance to duck before Thor was thrown over my head. I looked back to check if he was okay before analyzing the situation in front of me and debating what I should do. I couldn't bring the Hulk back to the glass cage Fury had for him because Loki was there, still, if I left him here then he would tear everything apart, so there was only one thing to do and all I could hope for is that it ends well. At least I hope it ends well for me.

"I did not expect him to be this strong." Thor stated as we warily watched the Hulk slowly approach us.

"Don't worry about him you have another job Prince Charming." I spoke to Thor as quietly as I could so I wouldn't agitate the Hulk any further. The Hulk was like a cornered animal that you needed to be very careful around because when animals are backed into a corner that's when they're most lethal.

"And what is that?" Thor inquired

"There are people here to free your brother, stop them." I ordered

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me I got this, you just worry about your brother. I'm trusting you to handle the situation." We looked away from the Hulk for a split second and I can tell that for a moment we came to an agreement before everything went to hell. The Hulk roared and I did the only thing any sane person would do, I flew towards him and tackled him with enough force to send both of us sailing through the reinforced windows. Yeah, it sounds just as painful as anyone could imagine for a 148-pound 5'6 girl to tackle a huge green monster. I was trying to get him far from the helicarrier when he started to punch me which was stupid because we were both thousands of feet in the air. Finally, I had enough so I grabbed his hand and threw him up into the air and when he came falling back down I kicked him in the chest. We were in the air and this was my element so I knew he couldn't beat me or least that's what I hoped, but it seems that even in the air he could land a few good hits as I threw him around trying to knock him out. If I could just knock him out I could get the both of us back to the helicarrier and make sure everyone else was okay, but as the fight continued I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Then again nothing in life ever was. Finally, as a last-ditch effort, I threw him as far up as I could and flew towards him to punch him with all of my might. I saw him do something similar as he angled his body ready to meet mine. I could hear Fury say something but it was too late and the Hulk and I slammed right into each other the force of the hit sending us both into different directions.

I heard someone call my name through the comms but I didn't have enough energy to answer them as I started to fall out of the sky. My head was hurting at the moment and all I wanted was to close my eyes so I could rest for a bit. I think I deserved it since I worked so hard today only for people to stop trusting me. Trust was lost once again and I'm not surprised that it was. The last thought that crossed my mind as I fell into the ocean was Cristina and her everlasting amount of faith she had in me.

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So quick update that the next chapter will be another flash back to Calliope's past. Also I might be late in putting the next chapter up although I will try my best not to do that.


	8. Chapter 8: Hush little baby

I am so sorry about the late update I had a lot of assignments and exams come up recently and I didn't have the time to update any sooner. Hopefully this flashback to Calliope's past will make up for that. We have 3 chapters left for the Avengers arc and after that I will work on building everyone's story including more info on who Calliope is and how she came to be Star Ray. Like always I do not own Marvel.

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_She was too sweet, too kind, too forgiving, and too brave for this unforgiving world that we lived in. I had just arrived at the safe house when I saw her run as fast as she could to save an agent from getting pierced by solidified radiation and in the end, she was the one who got impaled. I froze in terror and everything just stopped moving as my baby stood there in shock not being able to process what had just happened to her. She didn't understand what was happening or the fact I was there but she still yelled for me, "Calliope! Help me!"_

_Her cries snapped me out of it and I came crashing down on top of the monster. I was punching and kicking as hard as I possibly could to get it away from my baby. I got right in front of the monster and I let out a roar which released a huge amount of my radiation from my mouth to the creature effectively sending it back from where it once stood. I turned back around to face my sister, who stood there with a small smile on her face as she looked to me "You're here. I knew you would come." Cristina breathed out._

_Before she could fall to the floor I caught her in my arms and held her as I slowly lowered myself down to a sitting position with my sister being cradle in my arms. The radiation that hit her was slowly eating away at her skin and I could see her blood seep through her shirt onto the floor from her wounded stomach. I looked back at her face with a tearful smile on my own, "Of course I would come. Did you think I would abandon you baby girl?"_

"_No never," she whispered to me with a wince. "I know you would never leave me."_

"_Don't talk you need to save your energy. I'll stay with-"_

"_It's bad isn't it Callie?" She immediately asked me "I'm going to die aren't I?" I froze as I looked down at her not knowing what in the world I'm supposed to tell her. She didn't even give me a chance to lie to her about the situation, but then again she's not dumb, still, that left me without an answer because how do you tell the person you love most in this world that they might…. "I could tell from the moment you looked at my wound that it was bad. You never had a problem holding back your tongue when you wanted to, but your face on the other hand still needs deliverance, Cal."_

"_Very funny baby girl but don't you worry about any of this because I'm going to take care of you as I always have and you're going to be alright just you wait and see." I just needed some time that's all. I reached my hand up to my comm so I could call for help but Cristina stopped me as she gripped my arm. "Baby if you don't let me call for help you won't get any better this is the only way I can save you."_

"_We both know that the radiation is slowly eating away at me and nothing, not even you or Christopher can stop it, but you can stop that creature from hurting anymore people." She whispered._

_I stared at her not understanding what she had just told me, "What are you talking about? Everything is going to be okay." I told her "Just give me a second to call for help."_

"_They won't be able to save me Cal, but if you leave right now you could save everyone." Cristina told me softly as she looked up at me with those big brilliant green eyes of hers._

"_No, I'm not leaving you alone here to die. I don't care about those people they aren't you!" I cried "Why should I leave you here when I can save you!"_

"_Because it's too late….for me.." She told me as tears began to fill her eyes._

"_Don't say that."_

"_Then... please don't…. don't lie to me, Cal. Leave me… and go save them." It was at that moment I could tell by her gasp for air in between talking that she didn't have much time left, even still._

"_I can't leave you." I held her close to me as I tried my best to hold back my tears._

"_Yes, you can Cal… you don't need me."_

"_Now who's lying?"_

_She let out a breathy laugh when she heard me say that yet her eyes remained serious as she continued to speak to me."You have.. taken care of me... my whole life Cal... You don't need me...to live or to fight… I'm just a burden…" She started to cough then and soon there was blood on her lips, still, she continued to speak. "I'm just a naïve 11-year-old…. burden who you had to... take care of since I was a baby... cause mom and dad died…"_

"_You have never been a burden to me, Cristina! You have been and always will be the greatest love of my life! You're my baby girl and I love you." I could feel my tears stream down my face as I saw her grow weaker each passing second. She was right no one, not even I could save her but I wanted to try. How could I not try to save my baby? Yet as I continued to look at her I knew it was a lost cause. If I couldn't save her at the very least I could tell her how much she meant to me. "Please don't leave me alone." I whispered to her_

"_You won't be alone… I promise… so please promise me… to never give up on others…. or on life… give it a chance…"_

"_I promise just please don't leave me!"_

"_I'm sorry... momma….. I love-" she stopped mid-sentence still looking up at me, the light leaving her green eyes and my heart began to break._

"_Christina?" I gently shook her "Christina?! Cristina NO! It's okay baby ! Stay with me!" I looked around for someone to help me but I was all alone, "SOMEONE HELP HER! PLEASE HELP HER! please." I sobbed as I held my little girl to my chest._

_I looked down at my baby girl and I cried harder at that moment than I ever have in my entire life. She wasn't my child but I loved her as if she was mine and not my late mother's child. Our parents died when we were very young and it was up to me to raise my sister but I failed. Today was the first time she ever called me 'momma', and now she's gone, and why? Because like always this stupid, ungrateful, disgusting world couldn't leave us alone. They dragged us into another disaster and expected us to fix it. Now she's…..gone. The reason I lived was gone because I became a "hero" for this rotten world._

"_Calliope where are you!" I heard my comm go off but I didn't care anymore. "Kid, Christopher is in the middle of downtown about 10 miles from the safe house….Kid can you hear me we need you!?" Why should I care if the world needs me? Mine just died in my arms._

_I continued to sit there as the world around me turned into chaos and destruction and I was glad because it now knew a small portion of how I felt. Why should the world be happy or at peace when she's gone and can't enjoy it? I could hear the monster yell from here as I held my sister in my arms, and I was livid. How dare it breathe and run rampant when it killed her without mercy when all she wanted to do was save some worthless nobody. Better yet why is it alive in the first place? "I won't let that thing live! I WON'T LET IT GET AWAY WITH THIS!"_

_I looked down at Cristina one last time and I hugged her, "I will avenge you." I told her lifeless body as I slid her eyelids shut. I looked down at her innocent face that was too precious for this world and I knew it was time to go no matter how much it pained me to do so, I had to. I gently put her down and left her in the safe house to find the monster that killed her. It wasn't hard to find it since all I had to do was follow the destruction it left in its wake, along with the countless bodies that were scattered around the area. As soon as I saw that thing I was no longer tired or hurt, not even sad. All I felt was my rage burning hot inside me as reality hit me that if this thing had just died long ago she would be alive, so no matter what happens that thing will die today._

_Everything was a blur as I rammed my fist into the chest of the monster. With an onslaught of punches, I drove the beast back and soon he was returning the favor. Kick, punch, fire, throw, shoot, stab. We were both relentless in the pursuit to end one another and we would not stand to let anyone get in our way. I blocked his punch and grabbed his arm twisted it and proceeded to break it. He yelled and I used this opportunity to unleash an onslaught of radiation in close range knowing that this was my chance to end it. I refuse to hold back in this fight, I don't care how many people died or how much destruction I leave behind by the time the fight is over. All I cared about was my sister but now that she's gone this world can finally burn for the sin's it has committed after I kill this beast._

_I lunged forward once again and knocked the monster down only for it to grab me in the next minute and throw my body into one of the surrounding buildings with a blast of its own radiation, but the building wasn't strong enough to stop me and I continued breaking through the walls until I reached the next building over. I sat there for a moment and I could see everything around me fall apart all at once as the building begins to fall apart right on top of me. I couldn't get up in time to escape and I got buried alive under the weight of the two collapsed buildings. When the noise around me finally ceased I noticed that my body had for the most part been crushed. I guess even my durability can't withstand the weight of a 36,000 ton building. I wanted to cry out for help but I realized that once again I was alone and I didn't know what to do anymore. I'm alone in more than one way, so with that in mind what was left for me to do._

_The longer I laid here the worse it all became physically, mentally, and emotionally. I was in so much pain but I didn't know what to do about it. Normally my small healing factor would deal with this but I don't feel myself getting better if anything I feel worse. That's not good especially if I have all of this sticky stuff spreading throughout my body. 'Sticky stuff?', Why do I feel something sticky all over me? I wanted to check what it was but my mind felt so foggy that all I could think about was the immense amount of pain I felt throughout my body. Maybe this was it for me. It sure felt like the end and all I wanted to do was close my eyes, so maybe I should. When I finally gave into temptation and began to close my eyes I heard a voice call out to me._

"_Callio- hear me? Ope you-? KID!" I could hear Clint speak to me through the comms. He was still alive? I guess I didn't give him enough credit he's pretty resourceful but I don't have the energy to respond to him much less even think about him. He can handle the rest on his own I'm through fighting and all I want is to be left alone to die. "Kid answer me! Please let- alright!" I don't know whether it was the bad connection, some damage to the comm or just me zoning in and out that made Clint's voice come and go but I chose not to care. "Please, Calliop- ARGH!" …...did something happen to Clint? I waited for what seemed like forever and all I heard was static. Is he dead? Did he get hurt? What should I do?_

_I tried moving but it ended with me screaming out in pain. I couldn't move I was stuck, "I'm sorry Clint.." more tears ran down my face as I accepted our fate. I wasn't healing, my loved ones are gone, Clint is about to die, and I'm just so tired. All I could hear were the screams of random strangers but I tried not to focus on them as I closed my eyes once again. The screams outside got louder and louder but I continued to ignore them until I heard Clint screaming my name and I couldn't ignore it anymore. Christina may have died but she liked Clint and I know she wouldn't want him to die like this, and if I'm going to be honest with myself I don't want him to die either. I tried moving my arms and I noticed that I could only move my right arm and I immediately reached for my comm. "Clint... " I mumbled_

"_Calliope you're okay." I could hear the mixture of happiness and relief in his voice and I was shocked that he cared that much for me._

"_No… not really, but I'm here." I told him, "I'm stuck and I can't get out Clint, I'm sorry." I felt so useless not being able to move while my…. what did Clint mean to me?_

"_Its alright kid don't worry about it we have it covered up here you just wait for help to arrive. Stay on the-"_

"_Clint are you still there?" What if something happened to him because I wasn't there to help him. "Clint, you have to answer me are you okay?" There was no response and at this point, I was panicking. He's going to die if I don't get back out there soon but how do I get free if I'm too injured to get out of here. It was at that moment I thought back to when I was first experimented on by those insane doctors. They were using my sister against me, they said if I didn't comply they would experiment on her. She was too young and too weak and I knew she wouldn't survive the experiments but I could. That's how I met Christopher, and we helped each other throughout those 6 long excruciating years of imprisonment. All we knew was pain and how to follow orders but what they never expected was for us to fight back. They used my sister as leverage against me for the last time and my wrath could no longer be contained as I overpowered them. That was the day we all escaped and I promised my sister I would build a better life for her and Christopher. I failed them but that doesn't mean I can't end this and save him. I won't fail Clint if it's the last thing that I do. I'm not weak and I will win._

_I light up one of my hands so that I can see what I had to work with. Now I understand why my left arm was hurting so much. Several rods had pierced my flesh as a slab of stone continued to weigh down on it. The rest of my body was not doing any better as I saw pipes, stone, steel, and so much more forcing my body down due to the amount of weight on top of it or cutting into my body slowly. It was only then that I noticed that whatever material that was touching my skin where I was bleeding was disintegrating but why was it doing that? MY BLOOD! My blood is toxic and its slowly destroying everything that's holding me down, but that still wouldn't be enough to get me out of here I need to do something. I have an idea on how to get out and maybe how to defeat that monster out there but it just might kill me. I really hope it does._

_I figured since my blood was toxic it meant that it must be filled with radiation meaning I can use it to help me escape, there was enough of it to do so. First things first I needed both my arms to do this, so I gathered all my strength and pushed up on the rocks that were pushing rods down into my arm. I cried out in pain as I felt the rods leave my body, but I couldn't hold it up and it slammed back into my arm this time going all the way through the ground beneath me. I cried out in pain as I felt my arm get crushed once again by stone and steel but I didn't let it stop me from trying one more time. I did my best to hold back the tears as I braced myself for the next few minutes of pain I would have to go through to free myself. I screamed as I pulled the rods and the cement that held them in place from my arm. Once I was free I slowly put the rocks back down as to not destabilize the rubble above me, next I moved to gather my blood. It wasn't as easy as it sounds because I have never dealt with radiation in this consistency before but I knew it was the only way for me to break free. It was difficult due to my left arm being mangled and shredded but I gathered my strength and my blood all the same. I hoped that maybe just this once I won't be late and I can save someone I cared about._

_Once I was ready I shot all of my power forward to clear the rest of the wreckage that not only held me down but also what surrounded me. It was a painstaking process since the building kept on caving in but I didn't let that stop me as I drove on moving forward to free myself. As I broke through the last of the wreckage I saw Clint get cornered by the beast and I knew what I had to do. I gathered my strength and let loose a roar that had radiation flying towards the beast and driving him some distance. Before exhaustion could take me I flew forward and crashed down into the cement sending a shockwave that will hopefully keep the monster at bay. I couldn't move after that so I stayed there on my hands and knees trying to find just one more ounce of strength to end the fight._

"_Kid, are you alright?" Clint asked me as he ran to where I was resting. Even before I laid eyes on him I knew he looked worse than I did. He was injured head to toe and he had no more arrows, so why was he so worried about me?_

"_Shouldn't you be worried about yourself, you look awful. Does your momma really let you out the house looking like that?" I didn't want Clint to worry about me when he should be concerned about his own safety first. I can take care of myself it's not like it's something I haven't been doing for years. "You should probably get out of here Clint you don't need to be here anymore."_

"_Fine let's go."_

_I looked up at him for only a moment before I turned to face what was ahead of me. "What are you talking about I can't go the job isn't finished yet?"_

_I was too tired to look back up at him so in the next minute Clint came to kneel in front of me only to tell me, "You're done. You have done more today than anyone else here. You're tired and badly injured so there is no way that I'm leaving you out here by yourself to fight him, so let's go." Clint stretched forward but I moved slightly back from him._

"_Don't touch me, my blood is toxic it will kill you."_

"_I'll keep that in mind kid." Without hesitating Clint put my right arm over his shoulders to help me stand and together we started to leave, but I was so confused because why does he care about me this much anyways._

"_Why do you care about some nobody like me Clint? I haven't done one thing right my entire life. It was my fault my sister and I got captured, It was my fault none of us really had a good home, it was my fault that none of us had a simple normal life, and it's my fault that this is happening right now." I hung my head in shame as we continued to limp forward, "I'm not worth saving I'm not worth the trouble."_

"_Yes, you are. It wasn't your fault that you got captured as a kid that was the world letting you down when you needed help and I'm sorry you went through that. You don't give yourself enough credit kid, you saved Christopher and Cristina from where you were all trapped, you worked day in and day out to get them food, water, and a place to live. You gave them a life that was as close to normal as you could get them. All you have ever done is care for everyone else but yourself and now it's time for someone to care about you. The fight is over let S.H.I.E.L.D. finish this, and let's go home."_

"_I can't… no one's there." I mumbled_

"_Kid, I know it hurts because you lost him and I know you loved Christopher but you're not alone. Your sister is still waiting for you-"_

"_She's dead."_

"_What? I thought-"_

"_I didn't make it in time." It hurt so much to say it out loud but it was the truth. I was too late to save her from that thing. "She died, and I'm all alone." I could still hear people screaming and fighting in the distance announcing to the rest of the world how I failed once again._

"_Cristina wouldn't want you to feel that way, and she definitely wouldn't want you to feel alone, because you're not." I heard Clint tell me as he took a deep breath, "I can never replace them, I know that but if you let me, kid, I promise you I will never leave you alone Calliope. Please just don't give up."_

_I stopped walking and slowly lifted my head to look up at Clint. They both said they would stay if I didn't give up. Cristina and Clint, huh it's kind of funny, isn't it? The people who cared about me most said the same thing to me in a span of a few hours, maybe people whose name that began in the letter C just have that in common. All I know is that I can't give up because they told me not to so I won't. I removed my arm from Clint and turned around to finish what I started. I felt Clint grab my arm trying to stop me but I kept walking._

"_What are you doing!" He was scared and confused and I could understand why he would be. I was basically half dead at this point but I'm not going to let that stop me, even if this does kill me._

"_I have to finish this for all of us." I told him as I kept walking forward._

"_Kid stop if you go back you'll die. I'm not going to just stand here and watch you kill yourself!"_

"_Then run." Clint went silent after that as he tried to hold me back._

_I stopped walking and turned to face him. I knew what I had to do but I also knew I had to say one last thing to Clint, so I turned around and being mindful of the remaining blood I had on me I hugged him. "I don't understand." he whispered to me._

"_I'm not giving up, I promise." I pulled back but I still kept a firm grip on his shoulders as I said, "Run. Tell your people to fall back as far as they can get, but tell them to run. Don't follow me just run." I turned back around and kept walking this time without Clint holding me back._

_As I walked forward I could see S.H.I.E.L.D. agents running in the distance, and I could see __**him**__ thrashing around like an animal. I knew what I had to do to stop him from killing any more people and hopefully save us all. I needed this to work so I prayed to the heavens for one more ounce of strength, one last time. My prayer was answered because I felt one more spark left in me and I continued forward towards the beast. He saw me approach him and we both stopped moving, and it was like we both knew this was it. This was the end. We both started to walk forward neither one of us running, but as we walked I began to surround myself with energy and the beast did the same as I did. I continued walking and all I could think of in my last few minutes of life was Cristina and how I would be able to see her soon, my baby girl. As I walked to what I hoped would be my death I softly sang the same song I would always sing to my sister when she was sad, sick, or just because she needed to hear me sing to her so that she knew I was there._

_She always loved to tell me the silliest stories about her day like what she saw. I always tried to look wide awake when she was speaking to me even if all I wanted to do was fall asleep. Christopher and I had to work all the time when we were out of school since we didn't have anyone to take care of us and there was no way I was going to let my sister starve. Still, I would come home each night and smile at her as she told me about her day and what she did, and what she wanted to do one day with me._

"**Hush, little baby, don't say a word.**

**Momma's gonna buy you a mockingbird.**

**And if that mockingbird don't sing,**

**Momma's gonna buy you a diamond ring.**_**"**_

_Cristina was the only family I had left after our parents died when I was at the age of 7 and she was 2. I swore I would never let any harm come to her and for the most part, I kept true to that promise, because to me she was the most important person in the world and no one not even Christopher came close to what she meant to me. All those years being experimented on was worth it if it meant they would stay away from her and focused all of their attention on me. There was no need for them to turn her into a monster._

"**And if that diamond ring turns to brass,**

**Momma's gonna buy you a looking glass.**

**And if that looking glass gets broke,**

**Momma's gonna buy you a billy goat.**_**"**_

_ It didn't matter what I had to do whether it was working, bleeding, crying, and who knows what else so long as the world left her alone. I was nothing but trouble and bad luck, but she bought me nothing but happiness through all of my mistakes and misery. I asked for only one thing each day and that was her happiness. Now she's gone and all I wanted to do was follow her into the grave and see her smile one more time. The beast and I started to run at full speed to meet each other, and it was at that moment I pulled all the radiation back into my body and focused all of it in my core._

"**And if that billy goat don't pull,**

**Momma's gonna buy you a cart and bull.**

**And if that cart and bull turn over,**

**Momma's gonna...**_**"**_

_I only wished I had made it on time to save her, and I will never forgive myself for letting her die. All I wanted was to see her grow up and become the person she was always meant to be. She had so many dreams and now they will never come true, as for my dreams she took them with her when she died. I kept building the radiation in my core until the very last second._

"_**And if this world makes you cry**_

_**Momma will there to ask why….**_

_**And if this world tries to take you away**_

_**Momma will make them pay"**_

_I'm coming home baby girl, I'm coming home. When we were about to collide with one another I forced all the radiation out of my body and as the two of hit it was like a spark had been ignited. I remember a white-hot intense pain and the screams that both myself and the beast let out at that moment. Everything faded away to black._

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It might be sometime before I get the next few chapters up since more exams are coming up but I'll do my best to keep posting new chapter. If you have any questions feel free to ask me.


	9. Chapter 9: Someone worth Following

IT'S BEEN A MONTH OR SO SINCE I UPDATED AND I'M SO SORRY! I had exams I was studying for and then taking my finals as well as my final projects and essays. It's been very hectic and I haven't had much time to write let alone edit my stories so I'm sorry. School has just ended so I'm hoping to get more of this story done. I am very sad to say that I just saw Avengers: Endgame twice and I cried so many times and I honestly don't know how to handle the destruction of my childhood heroes. I've been thinking of writing my story about Star Ray for years and now my heroes are gone so I'm sad but happy that they inspired to this extent.

As always I don't own Marvel (sadly) only my Oc's. ENJOY

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My head was pounding when I woke up from that blasted nightmare and what made everything worse was that I couldn't remember much of what happened today so that wasn't good. That nightmare always does this to me for some reason, it makes me forget where I was and what I was doing. After experiencing that nightmare several times I no longer panic when I first awake and instead I take a moment to analyze my surroundings and the situation I could be in and it was then that I realized I was at the bottom of the ocean with a bunch of rocks piled on top of me. How in the world did I get here? At that moment I recalled the earlier events that transpired today and how that not so jolly green giant punched me, that jerk. _You better hope I never see you again Hulk_. I thought to myself, as I pushed the huge amount of rocks that continued to try to crush me. I realized not too long after that fight with Christopher (after the second round of mutation) that my body was different somehow like I had gotten stronger. I never truly put it to the test but I guess this counts right? The day I fought Christopher pipes and other objects were able to slice through my body although with some difficulty, but now that's not the case anymore.

After I freed myself I stood there thinking of the events that just occurred. I don't know who I should be upset with, myself for agreeing to help S.H.I.E.L.D. again after everything that happened to me or them for not leaving me alone. It doesn't matter in the end I suppose. I'm in this situation because this was the choice I made so I might as well accept it and move on. The question I should be asking now is what exactly am I supposed to do? Do I run away and live in the ocean for the rest of my life since I don't need air, or do I go back to prison? Should I stay or should I go? This was the perfect chance to do something right? As I looked up I could see the sun shining through the water and I wondered what exactly was there left for me to do. I did my job and took care of the Hulk so is there anything left for me to do? No, my job is done I can rest.

Then again what about the rest of the Avengers? Wait a minute why should I care about them or their problems, let alone anyone else's. The world never helped me so why should I care if it goes up in flames when I can just hide in the ocean where it's safe. If they want to be superheroes then that's fine by all means let them but leave me out of it. I don't want to be like Tony Stark and have millions of fans or like Steve Rogers and go down as a legend. I don't want to be a soldier or a spy and if I'm being honest with myself I have no idea what I want or who I am anymore.

Is life even worth it at this point with all the tragedy and heartache I faced each day of my life? Is there anything left at this point for me? This world is so cruel and nothing seems right anymore since Cristina died. War, destruction, devastation that's it every day and I'm so tired of it all. Not one person in this world except for those who have already died kept true to me, everyone else has lied and betrayed me in so many ways that I can't keep track anymore. There's no more hope for this world, even Clint the first friend I made since meeting Christopher all those years ago betrayed me in the end.

_But he didn't_. A soft voice whispered in the chaos that was my thoughts and I had to pause at that. _He trusted us even when we told him not to, and it was our fault that he lost faith in us towards the end_. That voice… it was my own reminding me of Steve and his kindness and how I was the one to let him down. When I first heard of the great Captain America I had initially thought that he would be, for a lack of better words, a pretentious and difficult man who wouldn't be any use to us in this mission. I read his whole file and that did little to sway my opinion but I decided to be civil until provoked and to say he surprised me would be an understatement. He was the first person to ever treat me like I was normal even with the knowledge of how dangerous I am. He never disrespected me and even wanted to trust me, a no good punk. How could I ever forget that type of kindness especially when he was so honest with me?

_He doesn't trust me anymore._ I reminded myself as I sat there thinking of the last conversation we had. He looked so upset with me and I deserved it. I couldn't blame him considering the fact that I got mad with Clint because he kept secrets from me. I told Steve not to trust anyone and I basically proved my point by not telling him about the Hulk situation. This whole thing was a mess and there was no way for me to fix it so why try.

_You still care for Clint, don't you? Even after he kept a secret from you because of S.H.I.E.L.D. so maybe you have still a chance at having a friend._

_No, stop don't get tricked by another person! I told myself as I began to pace back and forth on the ocean floor. I hardly know him he could be just like everyone else. I can't trust him._ I hung my head as I remembered all those time's someone had lied to me to get their way, and there was no way I was letting that happen a fourth time in my life. If Steve didn't trust me maybe that was a warning to give up now before it was too late. Plus am I really that desperate for a friend that I'm going to place all of my cards on some guy. Nope! I may be lonely and a bit lost but I'm not stupid enough to throw myself at some random guy.

"_You won't be alone… I promise… so please promise me… to never give up on others…. or on life… give it a chance…"_

Those were Cristina's last words to me. I did give up, in the end, didn't I? I just didn't know what else to do but give up, well that was until they told me Clint had been taken._ No that's not true_. I thought to myself because I still didn't believe in this world or Clint, the only reason I came back was that I came to care about someone who didn't give up on me. It wasn't a debt but it was compassion that I displayed towards him even when he betrayed me. Still, it didn't mean that I had forgiven him or believed in him.

_Steve Rogers_. I don't know what to make of that man because he wasn't like anyone I had ever met before. He was the first good man I had ever met but I hardly knew him and that is exactly what is keeping me from trusting him.

"_so please promise me… to never give up on others…. or on life… give it a chance…"_

Give it a chance? How do I give life a chance or even people for that matter? Life is messy and cruel just like people are. Why in the world would I want to do that when I could simply escape from that and live in solitude. Sure it gets lonely from time to time but at least I know no one can ever hurt me again. The good of this world, or a least the only good I ever saw in it, is gone. Is there anything left for me to put my hope and faith in? Are there people who don't hurt others for their own benefit, or lie to them simply to get what they want? I only knew one person who could fit that description thus far.

I guess my baby girl was right in the end. I don't know what the future might hold or if I would come to regret this but I knew one thing, Steve Rogers is someone worth following. I don't care about his achievements or his past because that means nothing to me. What I care about is that for the first time in my life someone other than Cristina has motivated me and believed in me as a person and not a weapon. He trusted me to have his back and so I will, because if there is even one person in this world like him then maybe there's still a chance for someone like me. Maybe this world isn't lost yet if there are more people like him, and I don't have to lose hope. Maybe just maybe I can have one more chance at having a friend.

With that in mind, there was no time to waste as I flew from the ocean, but I'm faced with a new problem now. I have no idea where I'm supposed to go. Wait I still have my comm in my ear so maybe it still works, well here goes nothing. "Hello, Furry can you hear me?"

"Never thought I would be happy to hear that name, but here we are. We were worried you got badly injured, you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine actually. The only problem is that I don't know where I am. Where's the Helicarrier? Is everyone safe?"

"It's hard to say. Banner is missing, Thor is gone too, but the others including Agent Barton just left."

"Clint's back? How long was I out? Did I miss out on a couple of days?"

"No the time-table is moving faster than what we thought that's all. During the raid Romanoff was able to wipe the mind control off of Barton, unfortunately, that's when we lost Loki and the scepter. The others left to where they believe Loki might be, I'm currently tracking their coördinates."

"Direct me to their location." There was no time to waste even if I had more questions those would have to wait.

"Are you sure? You completed your end of the bargain, you don't need to do this." I can understand why Fury would ask me that. I did tell him that as soon as Clint was back I would return to prison but I can't do that not yet.

"The jobs not done yet there's still a lot to do and we're wasting time talking about it. Tell me where I need to go Fury." I won't regret this choice I know that now.

"They're heading to New York City, I'll personally direct you there." With that being said I was off my ETA being 10 minutes if I pushed it. Once I was inside the boundaries of Manhattan there was no need for Fury to tell me where to go I could clearly see that for myself. Right in front of me, I could see a bunch of aliens coming out of a gigantic hole in the sky and they were all attacking the city. "We're still working on getting eyes down there, so I need you to tell me what you see."

"I just hope the whole team is here or on their way because we're gonna need as much help as we can get." I didn't know where to start until I saw the jet Fury told me the others hi-jacked. I saw them flying closer to Stark towers and I was about to contact them when I saw them get shot down. Without wasting another second I rushed forward grabbing the jet by the nose and holding it above my head. When I looked inside I saw Steve in the back, Romanoff in the co-pilot seat, and finally Clint Barton in the pilots' seat all of them looking at me in shock and disbelief. "And here I thought you were a good pilot Clint." I said with a smirk.

"Kid, you're back!" The smile on Clint's face was so genuine that I knew at that moment it was time to forgive him and stand by his side once more. "They told me that you and Hulk knocked each other out. I didn't know if you were okay."

"Don't worry I'm good and it's nice to see that you have total and complete control over yourself again."

"I don't mean to interrupt but can you two save this for later." Romanoff told us

"Yeah, yeah don't get your panties in a wad Roman-agh" I felt something hit my back and it stung.

"Calliope!" "Kid!"

"I'm fine." I told them "Hold on I'm putting you down." More aliens were coming our way so I dodged them and zig-zagged to put them down on the overpass below Stark Towers. Once I put them down I didn't wait for them to get out so I quickly told them, "I'm leaving you here I'm going back up to take care of these guys."

"Wait, kid! Why did you come back?" Instead of answering Clint's question I looked over his head to where I could see Steve in the background looking at me waiting for my response.

"I told him I had his back." and with that, I was zipping through the sky once more hitting anything that got in my way. Shooting as many of them as I could I fought my way through the sky trying to make a dent in their numbers. During the fight, I saw an opportunity to grab one of the aliens that was coming too close for comfort and I used it as a bowling ball of sorts to wipe out the line that was forming behind me.

"Would that count as a strike?" I knew that cocky voice anywhere.

I turned back around to face none other than the invincible Iron Man himself, "Stark."

"Nice to see you to sweetheart, mind helping me out with something?" Ignoring the nickname, for now, I flew forward to see what he wanted.

"What's up?" I said as soon as I got close enough to him.

Stark waved me forward and we both started to fly when he then pointed at something in front of us, "You see that thing right there?"

I looked in the direction he was pointing at and I saw it...Honestly though how could I not see that monster? It was huge! "Yeah, I see the leviathan."

"I'm not going to ask how you knew that. The point is I'm trying to get his attention. But I can't do that when these things keep getting in my way." Stark pointed as some of the other aliens that finally caught up to us and began shooting. The aliens underestimated us as we shot them down and continued to follow the leviathan trying not to lose it amidst the chaos, although there's no way we could lose that thing.

"So you want me to keep track of the Leviathan for you?"

"No, I need you to do the opposite of that. Keep the rest of them off my back. Do you think you can do that?" He asked me.

"Well, when you asked me so nicely I don't see how I can say no." I gave him a final smirk before flying off to destroy the rest of the smaller aliens that were in his way. Smashing anything in sight I kept moving through the skies trying to keep them away from Stark. At some point, they realized that he was no longer a priority and focused all of their attention on me. "Hey Lightning McQueen, they no longer care about you I'm going to lead them away from here and see if I can cover another area while I'm at it."

"All right, sweetheart stay safe." I don't bother telling him off for the nickname he insists on giving me and I left him to handle the Leviathan. As I continued to move through the skies I noticed that I was slowly being surrounded and if I didn't do something quick I was probably going to be taken down so with that in mind I thought up an old tactic to use once again. I engulfed myself in radiation and I went in head first into the swarm hoping to get all of them in one go. I did more damage than I thought I would to be honest because the after effect of my attack hit another pack of chitauri flyers as well. I stared down at my hands in wonder as I contemplated how strong I really was, it's not like I really tested myself out. The farthest I went to testing myself was that fight against Christopher who was named "Nuke" by the public. When this is all said and done I really need to put myself to the test just so that I can see what I'm really capable of.

BOOM CRASH, the building beside me exploded and I turned to see more aliens coming my way. "Good grief you guys are worse than any ex a girl can get." I told them as I rushed their way shooting them as I went. I kept the fighting in the skies as much as I could until I looked down at the road below and saw Steve running, only to suddenly stop seconds later as he got cornered by a group of Chitauri soldiers. I checked the skies one last time before I swooped down to grab Steve and without warning, I threw him into the air as I pummeled all the aliens that stood there. By the time Steve fell into my arms bridal style I had already taken care of all the aliens that surrounded him. "Hey, Steve what's up?"

He looked at me with his startled baby blue eyes only then realizing it was just me and not an enemy soldier, "I really thought that was it for me a second there." he told me as he let out a breath of air.

"Sorry I probably should have warned you I was coming in."

"Don't apologize it's fine Calliope you were only trying to help." He told me before a wary smile came on to his face, "Just give me a heads up next time you plan on doing that."

"Sure no problem." I was then reminded of the fact that he was probably still mad at me. "By the way Steve, about earlier, back at the helicarrier I just wanted to-"

Steve raised his hand to stop me as he said, "You don't have to apologize to me Calliope. Fury told me everything including the fact that you thought it was a stupid idea, to begin with. I should have trusted you and gave you a chance to explain yourself, but I didn't."

"I guess we both messed up huh?"

"Yeah but I think we can make up for it by watching out for each other in this fight."

"Of course," I told him and it was only then that I noticed he was still in my arms. "Sorry, I'll put you down now."

"Before you do that we need to get back to the others. Do you mind flying us over there?" He asked

"No problem." I told him "Just lean in towards me or else you might get whiplash from the take-off."

"Got it." he leaned in and I got ready to take off once again.

Once we were in the air I asked him. "Do you have any idea where they are?"

"They should still be at the overpass by Stark towers."

"Got it." As I started to fly back towards Stark towers when we ran into a herd of Chitauri soldiers and with Steve in my arms it would be too difficult for me to fight them head-on. I came to a stop as I stared them down thinking up my next move that won't end up with either one of us dying. With both sides at a standstill, I chose at this time to instruct Steve on what he should do next. "Steve" I whispered, "Do me a favor and lean in as close to me as possible and put your head over my shoulder." Without question, Steve did exactly as I told him and then I allowed us to drop out of the sky. I angled our bodies so that my back was facing the ground, soon the soldier followed after us so we wouldn't get away. Now before you call me crazy there was a reason I was doing this and it all came down to three things really. I needed to face the Chitauri but Steve's face was too close to mine and I couldn't have that, also I wanted to try to get them all at once the best way to do that is to get some distance from them and make them chase me a little. Finally, I wanted Steve to look down at the ground that was quickly approaching us just in case an enemy tries to do a sneak attack. Once we were halfway to the ground and before they could shoot us I let loose I roar of radiation that wiped out a good chunk of the horde and the rest scattered into different directions giving us the chance to escape and regroup with the others.

"I think we lost them for now," Steve told me as we continued towards Stark towers. In the distance, I could see Clint and Romanoff fighting against a few foot soldiers, but I could also see reinforcements approaching as well. "How good is your aim?"

"Well I'm no Hawkeye but I'm not too bad either. Why?" I asked him

"Throw me into that group of soldier's. I'm going to take them out." I looked down at him shocked that he would suggest that nevertheless, I threw him without question. He hit them dead on and continued to take the rest out as well. I came in a moment later right beside Romanoff, tearing apart an enemy soldier that came close to impaling her. Seconds later I saw a flash of lightning strike down the remaining chitauri soldiers, and when I looked to the source I found Thor landing next to an overturned car. Looking around I noticed that for the time since I arrived in the city it was just us which meant it was a perfect time to regroup. All of us gathered near Thor seeing as he was the last to arrive at the scene.

Without wasting time Steve immediately questions Thor, "What's the story upstairs?"

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable," Thor informed us.

Stark came on over the comms saying, "Thor is right, we gotta deal with these guys."

"How do we do this?" Romanoff asked the group.

"As a team." Steve simply said.

"Easier said than done, don't you think?" I couldn't help but point it out to the rest of the team, "Not to sound like a Debbie downer, but it's an alien invasion how do you even deal with that? We are outnumbered, and outgunned."

"Say's who?" Clint asked me

"Um myself?" I responded. Did Clint hit his head on something or did he finally go blind? Anyone could tell we were hopelessly fighting a lost cause. "Dude, there's like 6 of us here with little to no backup. Do you really think we're all coming out of this alive?"

"Kid I promise you I got your back this time, all right. We're both coming out of this alive and without any further mutations. Do you trust me to have your back? Because I trust you and I'm more than confident in saying you can kick some chitauri butt." Clint told me as he started to ready more arrows.

"Optimism does not suit you well Clint." I told him as I looked down at the ground, "All right fine, I trust you and maybe we can somehow pull this off but where do we even start?"

"I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor stated

"Oh yeah! Get in line." Clint snarked at Thor as he finished fixing his last arrows.

"Save it. Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us to-" Suddenly Steve stopped talking and turns around to look at someone who was comin.0g our way. The person slowly approaching us was none other than Dr. Banner who arrived on a motorbike. As Dr. Banner dismounts and begins to survey the destruction we make our way towards him.

"So, this all seems horrible." He tells us and I couldn't help but smile because isn't that the understatement of the century.

"I've seen worse." Romanoff stated and I couldn't help but think that maybe she was speaking about the Hulk.

"Sorry."

"No, we could use a little worse."

"I agree with Kim Possible here." I said pointing at Romanoff, "We could use another heavy hitter."

"I think you would do just fine without me." Banner told me while scratching the back of his head, "Never thought I'd meet anyone who could knock the... Other guy unconscious."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that again." I told him with a small smile. He nodded his head at me with a smile of his own and just like that we were on good terms.

"Stark, we got him." Steve says through the comms

Starks voice comes in next asking, "Banner?"

"Just like you said." Wait just a minute Stark made a wild guess that Banner would come back. I have to admit that was a risky bet that I would never make but then again I'm not a Stark.

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you."

"Party?" I asked looking around and then it hit me, "A LEVIATHAN IS NOT A PARTY YOU HUMAN TIN CAN!" Within the next second, I could see Stark coming out from behind a building with that creature not too far behind him. I hear Thor let out a grunt beside me and I couldn't help but give him the _**"what the heck is wrong with you?"**_ look before turning back to the monster approaching us.

"I agree with Rodriguez I-I don't see how that's a party." Romanoff stutters

As Stark came closer he drew the leviathan low to the ground and when the skin of the creature touched the road it easily tore it apart. When the creature was close enough Banner turns around completely and begins to walk towards the Leviathan.

Steve walked forward to stop him before he could do something stupid. "Doctor Banner now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret, Cap. I'm always angry." within seconds the doctor was gone and replaced by the Hulk who was now on our side. With one almighty punch, the Hulk smashes the Leviathan into the ground but they both continue to move forward due to the creature's momentum.

"Hold On!" I yelled "Clint get behind me!", the moment I felt Clint get right behind me I let loose another roar that obliterated the creatures remains. When the debris clears there we stood in a circle facing out towards the enemy. I stood there between Clint and Thor in my battle stance my eyes glowing. When I looked up I could see more Leviathans and hundreds of Chitauri soldiers fly through the portal. "Uh, what now?"

"Call it, Captain." I hear Stark tell Steve and we all turn to face him and await his orders.

"All right, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash."

"Wanna give me a lift?" Clint asked Stark

"Right. Better clench up, Legolas." and with that, they were off the rest of us still standing with Steve waiting for our part in his plan.

"Thor, you gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow 'em down. You got the lightning, light the bastards up." Thor left right after that and Steve turned to me next, "Calliope you gotta lighten the load for the rest of us. Survey the area and wherever you see the fighting at its thickest intervene and take them out before they take us." after giving Steve a two finger salute I took off to do what I was told.

I flew through the skies shooting down enemy soldiers left and right making sure I take them all out before going to another area. Just then I hear someone speak over the comms "Kid you there?"

"Yeah, what's up?" I asked Clint understanding he might need me somewhere since it was his job to direct us to different areas that we needed to be in.

"Go down two blocks and take a right, one of those... **things **are tearing down a building there." I do as I'm told and head in that direction but something he said confused me.

"**Things**?" I asked Clint, confused why he called it that.

"I forgot the name for it." He told me simply.

"It's called a Leviathan." I told him

"Speaking about the opposite species sweetheart." Stark butts in out of nowhere, "How do you know it's called a Leviathan?"

I was silent for a moment as I made the right turn where Clint told me to go and nearly had my head bitten off by said creature as it flew past me. "Well," I started to say as I raced after the beast "It just looks like one." at that point I grabbed the monster by the tail and I flipped the both us backward and smashed it down a deserted street.

"Kid… you can't just name something because it looks a certain way." Clint tried to explain to me.

"Why not? White people do that all the time." I said that before realizing how racist it sounded. The worst part is that I'm 90% certain at least half the team is what could be termed "white". Opps… Over the comms, I hear Stark let loose a snort not even bothering to contain his laughter.

"Sweetheart, are you always this blunt?" Stark asked me.

"Yeah, she is." Clint answered for me in a defeated tone.

"First off, he asked me that question, Clint." I told him as I barreled into a group of foot soldiers, "Second, yeah pretty much." I answered Stark honestly.

"All right, guys let's focus." Steve told us " How are we looking, Barton?"

"Sexy, but not like we're trying too hard." Clint starts off with " Like, sure, we're trying, but it's almost effortless."

"That's nice to hear." Romanoff stated, "We don't want to look desperate."

"That... was not what I was asking for." Oddly enough when Steve said that it automatically made the what Clint said ten times funnier.

"Well look at the bright side at least we look fabulous." I said with a smile on my face all the while preparing myself to barrel into the next horde of enemy soldiers.

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I hope you guys liked this chapter and let me just say everything is made in jest and nothing was said to offend anyone. By the way for those of you who may have noticed one of these line came from a tumblr post I saw and I couldn't help but putting it in here. I give that person all the credit for Clint's sexy comment. on another note I will try my best to upload more often so just bear with me. Like always if you have any question or suggestions feel free to contact me.


	10. Chapter 10: The Battle of New York

Hey guys I'm back with the next chapter! Hopefully all of you have seen endgame by now because there is a scene in that movie in this chapter. It will be different just because endgame hasn't happened yet but I'm just letting y'all know ahead of time. so yeah not that great of an explanation but oh well. Hope you guys enjoy and once again I do not own marvel only my OC's.

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I was beginning to wonder if this fight was ever going to end. We've been fighting for some time now and I'm not too sure how much longer I can keep going. I haven't eaten in a while and I've been blasted at so many times I'm surprised I can even fight at this point. There are so many of these things that it doesn't matter if you kill one of them because at least five more will take its place, still, I don't let that stop me as I continue to fire radiation at the enemy soldiers. If only we could close that portal for good that would at least stop the flow of these creatures coming into our planet. Thor tried to stop them and block the portal in which they came through but he couldn't do much in the end. They keep coming at us with everything they got and I'm beginning to wonder if we can win at all. At this point we've kept the perimeter, Stark and myself working tirelessly to keep it that way, while the rest of the team continues to fight everything within the bounds of said perimeter. We need to do something to stop this but what? I was about to ask the team that very question when I saw Iron Man and Black Widow fighting in the distance. What in the world was Romanoff doing on top of a Chitauri flyer?

As I fly their way smashing soldiers left and right I ask, "Why are you on that thing?"

"I'm going to try and shut down the portal." Romanoff replied

"You know how?" I asked her as I helped Iron Man clear the way.

"No clue but it's worth a shot don't you think?"

"To close that thing? Take as many shots as you need." and with that parting statement we finished clearing the way for agent Romanoff and we all flew in different directions. I made my way towards Clint to try and lighten the load he was facing by blasting everything that came to close to the building he was on before once again leaving to fight somewhere else. Flying through the sky it almost became a rhythm of what I was doing. SHOOT, SMASH, DODGE, BLOCK, TWIST, SWOOP, LUNG, DIVE, and UNLEASH ALL HELL.

Finally, I got rid of the aliens or at least the ones that were surrounding me for the time being. BOOM the building next to me exploded and I had no time to dodge what came flying out at me. The speed of the object as it crashed into me sent me flying back and landing on a random car across the street. When I looked back up to see what had happened I saw Steve in a similar position on top of another car. He must have been the one that smacked right into me. I got off the car I was on and flew to Steve since he was moving too slow which worried me. I don't know how much a super soldier can take before they needed to go to the hospital, it's not like there's a handbook for these things. By the time I reached him he had already gotten off the car and was standing there looking down at the ground, his mask was off.

Slowly I touched his shoulder and softly asked him to look at me. Once he finally looked at me I could tell he was exhausted. Steve was covered from head to toe with cuts, sweat, and dirt from the battle. At the very least he looks semi-okay although it makes me wonder how I look right now let alone the rest of the team.

"You still good to fight?" I asked him

"Yeah… just trying to figure out where to go to next." He answered looking at me but the emotions in his eyes confused me because it almost looked like guilt. "You shouldn't be here facing this. You should be out there living your life not here fighting for it."

It shocked me that he would say something like that but all it did was reaffirm what I thought of him. "Everyone has to fight for their life at some point Steve and this is the way that I chose to fight for mine." I told him

"You're right but that doesn't mean you should be this close to losing it."

I smiled at him and looked him in the eye as I said, "Then next time when you come flying out of a building don't smack right into me." he chuckled when I said that before getting serious once again. "So... where to Steve?"

"Follow me." as he ran through the street I was there by his side the entire time and when we finally ran into a group of soldiers we fought side by side defending each other and fighting for one another. We moved as a unit not allowing the soldiers to split us up or tear us down. We kept our backs facing each other that way no one could get behind us. We never said a word to one another throughout the fight and to an outsider, it may have seemed as if we had been fighting together for years instead of a couple of hours. We were actually beating them back until another bomb went off without our knowledge and it sent us flying. I tried to get up as fast as I could but before I got the chance one of the soldiers advanced towards me. I tried to move but I wasn't fast enough as the soldier was able to take a swipe at me and hit my right cheek with enough force to send me back as I let out a grunt from the hit. The monster tried to hit me again but a familiar hammer took his head clean off his shoulders and I could feel blood splatter all over me. When I looked to my side I saw Thor making his way towards me while Steve ran to where I was laying on the ground.

"Are you all right?" Steve asked me as he brought me to a sitting position.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I wouldn't say it out loud but my cheek was burning something awful. Contrary to the popular belief I feel pain and I can get hurt. When I first got my powers I noticed that it was difficult to hurt someone like me unless a lot of force was used against me. After my fight with Christopher, it got even more difficult for me to get injured but that doesn't mean I'm invulnerable. All it means is that I'm more durable than before.

"Are you sure?" Thor asked me, "You're bleeding quite a bit there."

"What?" I touched my upper right cheek and noticed that my cheek had been cut and it was bleeding but I also feel my cheek slowly healing itself. That's good I can't be bleeding all over the place that wouldn't be good for anyone.

"Here let me-" I grabbed Steve's hand before he touched me.

"Don't, my blood is toxic and if you touch it you'll get contaminated." Both he and Thor stared at me in shock realizing how dangerous it could be should my blood continue to spill.

"We can't allow you to continue to bleed." Thor told me. I touched my cheek once again and discovered it was halfway healed so that was great.

"Don't worry I'm on it." just like I did way back when I used my powers to bend my blood to clear the debris, I used the same technique this time, the only difference being that I absorbed it into my body all the while making sure that I didn't mix my blood with that of the Chitauri scum. "My blood is filled with radiation meaning I can control it in any way that I want. I found that out about a year ago." I said as I picked myself up and faced the two men beside me.

"You're something else you are aware of that correct?" Thor said giving me an odd look.

"I sure hope so." Steve mumbled

"Are you two going to continue to stare at me or are we gonna get back to work."

"Right." Both of them said a bit awkwardly, yet they continued to look at me worriedly. They weren't convinced that I was okay.

"I'm fine really I am." I said with my hands on my hips looking at them.

"Perhaps you should rest." Thor told me "You have done wonderfully, truly you have." Behind him, I could see more soldiers making their way to us. I guess it was bound to happen eventually I shouldn't be surprised that more of them found us. Thor and Steve moved to stand protectively in front of me but I easily moved them out of my way and began walking forward to reach the approaching force. They tried to stop me but I kept walking until I was close enough to roar. The blast force obliterated the entire enemy unit that was charging at us leaving nothing but dust. I looked over my shoulder to the two men standing behind me.

"Definitely something else."

"Agreed."

I rolled my eyes at them and started forward, "You boys coming?" I asked them and within seconds they were by my side and we were fighting once again taking down anyone that stood against us. We fought our way through the streets of New York but it was obvious to anyone that was watching us that we were a lot slower than we had been before. We've been fighting an entire army practically by ourselves this whole time and let me tell you we are tired. It's not like we had a snack or water breaks at any point during the fight. Plus it really does seem like this battle is endless and since I don't have any training of any kind fighting for this long is a struggle, but I keep fighting in the end anyways. If I could continue to fight "Nuke" even when I was terribly injured as well as heartbroken a year ago then that means I can keep fighting here and now. Still, a little update about how we were looking wouldn't be too bad either.

"Barton, how are we looking?" I guess Steve had the same idea as I did, but after a minute of waiting, we heard nothing. "Barton, do you hear me? Come in."

"Somethings wrong Steve." I told him getting worried. Clint never took long responding to his comms because he knew better than to keep people waiting.

"Little busy right now… I'm surrounded." Clint finally explained over the comms. "I'm gonna run out of arrows soon so this might be it. Sorry kid I really thought we could have one last talk." What did Clint just say? No maybe I just misheard what he said. Clint couldn't give up, right? No, we still had to talk about… well, a lot of things so this couldn't be the end. No, it wouldn't be I won't allow it to end like this!

An enemy soldier which saw me freeze in the middle of the battle came charging at me from behind. As he swung down to strike me and I spun around, dodged to my left, enveloped my fist in radiation and swung back. My fist connected with the creatures head and I took it clean off his shoulders as I stared down at his remains.

"You aren't getting out of this conversation that easily Clint," I said my eyes glowing. "I'm going to help Clint." I didn't wait for a reply as I left to help my friend. I didn't have time to fight everything under the sun so I blew up anything that even looked in my direction. I found Clint not long after that and from the looks of it he was going to be overrun, so I flew in and slaughtered the alien scum. Once I had the chance I grabbed Clint and flew down the building he was standing on busted one of the windows open and threw him inside.

"Couldn't you be more gentle?" Clint asked me but I didn't face him as I kept a lookout for more soldiers. "Kid?"

"Don't you ever say something that stupid again. You got that you big dummy? What makes you think that you have permission to die just like that? Huh?"

"I didn't think you cared that much." Clint told me softly

"Of course I care! Why else do you think I left prison? To go on an adventure." I told him sarcastically still not bothering to turn around and face him. "You don't get to walk into someone's life and make them care about you only to leave them in the end!"

"You don't need me, kid."

"It's not about what I need it's about what you promised me. You said and I quote 'I promise you I will never leave you alone Calliope.' , so now here I am keeping you to that promise." I looked over my shoulder to see him still on the ground and I ask him, "Or will you finally give up on me Clint?"

"Never."

"Good now leave this to me." I said to him my eyes glowing. When I turned back around I saw that we were completely and utterly surrounded. I smiled and told them, "This is your last chance to surrender before you all die." Their leader ignored me and raised one of his hands over his head. I knew what that meant. It means that when he finally decides to lowers his hand that's the signal to fire at us. Too bad he won't have a hand to drop as I rushed forward grabbed his arm and ripped it off his shoulder. Next, I grabbed the rest of his body and threw it to the left flank at the same time sending a burst of radiation to the right. I fought and I fought hard as if my life depended on it because it did as well as my friends. This won't be the same tragedy that happened almost a year ago this time it will be different. This time no one dies except the enemy. I kept my back to the window where Clint was so nobody could fly past me and try to hurt him. No way would I allow anyone to kill him not when he made me a promise. No one breaks a promise with me and gets away with it.

"Kid there's too many we have to go!" Clint yells at me

"And where do you suppose we go?" I asked him, "The city is being under attack and I can't get you to safety while I'm fighting an army at the same time."

"If we stay here-"

I cut him off to point out the obvious that if we leave, "It will be the same out there because if we try to leave we may get shot down. The only difference is that out there we will be in the air instead of in here!" I keep fighting trying my best to find a way to take them all out, but I can't. I've taken a lot of hits today and I'm not sure how many more I can handle, but I'm determined to keep fighting until I can't anymore. Still, I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to plug that stupid black hole for me.

Suddenly I hear Romanoff speaking through the comms, "I can close it. Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down!"

"Do it!" Steve replies

"No, wait." Stark tries to stop Romanoff but I can't understand why and apparently I'm not the only one who is confused by this.

"Stark, these things are still coming!" Steve reminds him

"I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute." Stark informs us "And I know just where to put it. Unless you think you can absorb the radiation sweetheart."

I paused for only a second knowing he was addressing me and unfortunately a past memory resurfaced. It's the day I lost Christopher and how he mutated into "Nuke". In order to save everyone, we had to get rid of a radioactive bomb that was set to go off at any minute. I came up with the idea to absorb the radiation that way the bomb would be rendered useless, but I had never absorbed that much radiation before. Christopher had done it plenty of times before when we were experimented on like lab rats so he said he would do it and the rest is down in history. If he was here he could have done it but I can't. "No, I'm sorry." I said over the comms "I can't do it."

"Don't worry sweetheart no one blames you. I'll handle this."

"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip." Steve informs him

Finally clearing the enemy force that surrounded us I gave my full attention to the comms and said, "Let me do it. I'll take it up there for you-"

"Not a chance sweetheart…. it was nice meeting you Calliope." With that, he was off as he flew through the city nuke in hand up into the portal and out of sight. We waited there with bated breaths watching the portal for his return as the Chitauri soldiers and the Leviathans fell all around us to the ground.

"What's happening?" Clint asked me as he watched the scene unfold before us, but I didn't pay attention to that instead I continued to focus on the portal in the sky. It was no use he wasn't coming back and it was my fault for not taking his place. I hear Steve telling Romanoff to close the portal and I look down at my feet sadden that Tony Stark was dead.

"Kid look." I look up and I saw it. Tony Stark flying out of the portal… wait a minute he was falling not flying.

"Stay here." I told Clint and I took off to save Stark. The Hulk had a similar idea as he came in grabbing Stark and I reckon he was going to crash into another building in order to slow his descent but I caught both of them before he had the chance, "Yeah let's try not to wreck any more buildings please."

I flew them to where Steve and Thor stood and the Hulk promptly dropped Iron Man to the ground. I gave him a look before rushing forward to Stark kneeling beside him and turning him on his back. The others came right beside us and Thor removed Starks mask as Steve checked for his heart and breathing, but it was useless he was gone. I didn't even notice the Hulk move as I stared down at Starks motionless body. What I did notice was his scream that scared the living daylights out of me and apparently someone else too. Stark woke up at that moment gasping for air looking around at us in shock and disbelief.

"What the hell? What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me." He said all at once and I couldn't help but smile down at him.

"We won." Steve breathed out clearly exhausted by today's events.

"All right, Hey. All right. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. You ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it." Tony rambled on to us still trying to gather his bearings

"We're not finished yet." Thor informed us and he was right we still had to get Loki and the cube. We were still on the clock and it was time we finished the job.

Stark nodded his head in understanding before asking, "And then shawarma after?"

"Gonna have to at this point." I told him, "My curiosity won't let me eat anything else until I find out what this shawarma is. It has to be good, right? Or else why is it in New York?"

"Exactly! There has to be something good about it." Stark agreed

"For now let's focus on getting Loki and the Cube." Steve reminded us

"Puny god in the tower." Hulk told us… wait he can talk?

I looked up at him in shock, "YOU CAN TALK!" I asked him only to receive a grunt in return. I looked at the others then back at the Hulk, "Then stop grunting and yelling all the time you sound so stupid."

"Calliope!" Steve yelled but it was hardly heard over the sound of Thor and Starks laughter.

"Tiny girl mean," Hulk said looking at me up and down. "Hulk like tiny girl." that last part he said was with a smile.

Did I just become friends with the jolly green giant himself? I flew up to eye level with the Hulk and said, "Tiny girl approves." I put one of my hands up to give him a high-five. I should have thought this through but I didn't and so the Hulk hit me by accident instead of high fiving me which sent me flying back a couple of yards. The laughter I heard earlier increased and I went back to hating everyone again.

Once that was over we all agreed to meet back up at Stark towers, we made sure Clint and Romanoff were aware of the plan through the comms. Stark would head for the cube with Steve and Thor would take Hulk up to the tower himself. I, on the other hand, will pick Clint up and then head to the tower to do the last superhero pose as Stark had put it. I reached Clint in no time whatsoever but he was no longer where I had last left him. He stood on the roof of the building once again this time he had an arrow in his hand and I assume it was from a Chitauri soldier he had killed earlier.

"What's with the arrow?" I asked him since it was confusing me that he would retrieve an arrow when the battle was over.

"You don't think I'm going to face that man again without some type of weapon right?" he did have a point.

"All right," I said "but don't kill him. Thor said he's taking him back to Asgard to face punishment."

"You really think S.H.I.E.L.D. is gonna let him do that?"

"I doubt that they'll like the idea but I'm more than positive Thor will get his way." I said with a smirk.

Clint smiled back at me before saying, "You love ticking S.H.I.E.L.D. off don't you?"

"You are full of questions right now aren't you Clint?" I countered with but he suddenly turned serious and looked me.

"There's a lot to ask from the looks of it. A lot to talk about even." I let what he said hang in the air for a while not really knowing how to answer it so instead I choose to focus on the matter at hand.

"Come on we have a job to finish." Clint let the conversation drop as we flew to Stark Towers. The others were already waiting for us there and together we walked forward to face Loki one last time. There he was on the floor, the man of the hour, crawling to a set of stairs. He must have heard us coming because he turns around and stared at the people he really shouldn't have pissed off. We surrounded him with Hawkeye in the front pointing his last arrow at him and myself right in between Thor and Steve floating in the air my eyes glowing.

As he continues to stare at us he slowly moves forward and says, "If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now."

Stark was done with Loki at this point because he immediately said, "Right get him on his feet. We can all stand around posing up a storm later. By the way, feel free to clean up,"

"I had no part in this so you're on your own, plus why would we clean when you can simply pay a maid to do it." I responded from where I was floating in the air my legs being brought up to a criss-cross position.

"The kid has a point." Clint added as he and the majority of the group dispersed from their original positions.

By the look on Romanoff's face, she was clearly on our side about the whole thing. I saw her walk towards the bar as she asked, "Who gets the uh… magic wand?"

"STRIKE team's coming to secure it." Steve told her from where he was standing beside me. I looked at him with a questioning eyes, indicating that I needed him to explain to me what the Strike team is. It seems like he got the message because he fully turned to face me and said, "STRIKE stands for Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies. Basically, it's a counter-terrorist Special Mission Unit within S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Oh, I'm assuming you know these people then?" I ask him

"Well, not really I met them before once or twice when I first woke up from the ice. S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted me to join them or at least work with them but I chose not to."

"Why?" I had inquired but there was no need to because at that moment the STRIKE team finally arrived with Sitwell at the front. "Never mind I understand why you wouldn't want to work with them. They look… pitiful really"

"Lady Rodriguez," Thor said waving me over to him. I waved goodbye Steve and flew to Thor waiting for him to tell me what he wanted. "Would you kindly help Stark and myself transport Loki as well as the cube?"

"Um sure no problem. Where to exactly?" I asked him as we gathered Loki to head down to the first floor.

"For now lunch afterward I will depart to Asgard with the aid of the cube so that Loki may face justice for his crimes against your people." Thor explained to me

"Wow, that quick huh? You guys don't play around do y'all?"

He smiled at me before saying "No we do not but I do hope that this will redeem us in your eyes somehow."

"I don't understand?" I said confused that Thor would say something like that.

"In the helicarrier, you said many things about my people and how we have been handling things as of late."

"Oh yeah, I kind of forgot about that…" I trailed off feeling a bit guilty about what I had said, "Look Thor I'm sorry about that."

"No you were right and you were also not the only one who said something along those lines. What all of you said actually made me rethink how I thought about… everything including my own people so I thank you."

"No problem." I told Thor "So about lunch I'm assuming the team will meet up with us later then? Before the big send-off that is."

"Of course Sweetheart." Stark said as he came up beside us, "It'll take some time for us to get down there anyways considering we have to walk all the way there. The others will have more than enough time to catch up with us."

I nodded my head and stood on the other side of Loki as Thor, Hulk and myself waited for Stark to get the cube situated so we can be on our way. While we were waiting and the STRIKE team was finishing packing up the scepter Steve told everyone that he would go coordinate search and rescue. Which didn't surprise me, but what actually shocked me was that in the next second Loki was no longer beside me instead it was Steve repeating what he had just said except this time he was being held down by chains. I blinked not believing what I had just seen and right then Loki transformed back to his original self making some type of comment which I ignored. I stood there staring at him as Thor slapped a muzzle on him and told him to shut up. He was going to start walking forward but he caught me staring at his brother.

"Is something wrong?" He asked me while keeping one hand on Loki. His brother was looking at me as if I was nothing more than an annoying pest but I didn't care.

"Your brother can shapeshift?" He nodded and I smiled, "That's awesome I wish I had that power. That would be so cool!"

"You can admire the psychopath later sweetheart we have things to do." Stark told me which I rolled my eyes at.

"I'm not admiring him just his powers." I stated as I grabbed one of Loki's arms and began to walk towards the elevator with the others, "By the way you can stop calling me sweetheart now."

"Not a chance." he told me as he finished packing up the cube. As we packed ourselves into the elevator, well those of us who could fit inside of it that is, we were faced with a dilemma as a very frustrated Hulk wanted to join us inside. All of us put our hands up to stop him before he had the chance to enter the elevator, lest he causes us to fall.

"Hey, Buddy!" Stark starts to say from his seated position on top of the briefcase which held the cube, "What do you think? Maximum occupancy has been reached."

"Take the stairs." Thor said as the doors began to close in front of us. I guess Hulk didn't like that because he got mad again and punched the door that left a dent in it.

"Well, that could have gone better." I stated while smacking Loki on the back of his head. He turned to look at me as well as the other occupants in the elevator. "He was mocking Hulk by waving at him as the doors closed."

"So you smacked him?"

"Yup."

"Well, all right then." Once the elevator reached its destination we got out and started to make our way out of the building only to be stopped by some old dude in a suit. Why is it that there has to be an obstacle at every turn. All I want is to eat something and who knows maybe get the chance to relax a little but no we have to deal with someone whom I assume is working for S.H.I.E.L.D.

"May I ask you where you are going." By the time he had finished speaking Thor was standing side by side with Stark and I stood in the back with Loki and the guards.

"To lunch and then Asgard." Thor stated, "I'm sorry, you are?"

Tony chose to come in and explain, "Alexander Pierce. He's the man, one of the folks behind Nick Fury."

"Really? I thought Fury was **the** boss and that he didn't have to listen to anyone." I asked Stark from where I stood.

"Well, he does." Pierce interrupted "My friends call me Mr. Secretary. I'm going to have to ask you to turn that prisoner over to me."

"Loki will be answering to Odin himself." Thor tried to explain to Pierce

"Oh, he's gonna answer to us Odin can have what's left, and I'm gonna need that case." Pierce stated, "That's been S.H.I.E.L.D. property for over 70 years." Someone moved to take the case but Thor stopped him from coming to close while Stark moved the case behind him.

Stark took that moment to try and calm everyone down, "I'm not gonna argue who's has the higher authority here, all right?" he tries to continue with what he was saying but Pierce still wasn't having it and kept insisting that we give him the case. Still Stark tried once again to persuade the other man, "I know you got a lot of pull. I'm just saying jurisdiction-"

"Okay then give me the case." Pierce interrupted and proceeded grab Stark by the wrist and soon more men in suits were grabbing him. Thor tried to get them off without being too rough with them but it wasn't working and the longer it took the more Stark began to panic. Finally, I had enough of the situation and chose to intervene. I stepped forward and grabbed the first guy I came close to and threw him gently to the side and I proceeded to do the same thing over and over again until I was able to grab Stark and put him behind me.

"That's enough!" I yelled "Is this really how you're gonna treat us after we just saved the city. Oh, wait I got that wrong I meant to say the WHOLE FREAKING PLANET! Man, not even a thank you note from you jerks now that's just rude."

Pierce took one step closer to me clearly not happy that I chose to get involved, "You might want to take a step back dear before-"

"Before what? You throw me in prison?" I interrupted and leaned in closer to say to him, "By the way the name is Rodriguez."

"If you three don't comply I will have to-"

"Force us to hand him over." I finished his sentence for him, "Really? Because last time I checked you couldn't take Loki on so we were sent in take him on for you. Now you're trying to take us on when we're getting rid of the problem? I'm sorry but that makes no sense whatsoever, does it boy's?" that last part of the sentence being directed to Thor and Stark.

"Nope." "Not at all." They spoke at the same time and with that being said it left all of us at a standstill. Pierce and I continued to stare each other down seizing up one another waiting to see who would be the first to move. At first, I thought it would be him until I heard a loud bang and a roar. Next thing I see is Hulk emerging from the stairwell throwing a fit because we made him take the stairs. Goodness gracious with that beast he really needs to reign that anger in because it's out of control. Stark clearly wasn't happy either because on the way out the Hulk punched a nearby wall which meant more damages Stark had to fix later. Poor dude, just tragic really.

Instead of dealing with the Hulk I chose to focus on the matter at hand. "So ladies what are we gonna do?" I asked the group bringing them back to the original topic, "Can we come to an agreement or not?"

"I made it clear to Fury and now I will once again say it to all of you here who stand before us. Loki will face Asgardian justice, whatever that may be, he will not be staying here on Earth. As for the cube, it is too dangerous to be in anyone's hands. I will be taking it back to Asgard and placing it once again in the vault." Thor explained but something he had said confused me.

"What do you mean by that? Do you mean to tell me that the tesseract once belonged to your father?" I asked

"Yes," Thor simply stated but by the confused looks he was receiving he elaborated. "The Tesseract was the jewel of my fathers' collection. He never told me what happened to it but he did say it was left on Earth. Now after everything that has happened he regrets leaving it here and charged me with retrieving it along with my brother."

"Huh, well with a story like that how can you fight it?" Stark smirked, "So as you can see we can't hand the loot over to you. Better luck next time Mr. Secretary. Sweetheart, mind clearing us a path?"

I looked over my shoulder to see Stark holding onto the briefcase and Loki being held by his brother, I smirked back at Stark before replying with a, "No problem Mr. Stark."

I looked back at Pierce and motioned him to move out of my way before I make him move. Knowing he had lost the battle he chose to step aside and we passed through the remaining suits before exiting the building. "Well, that was tiresome," I said at last

I heard Stark huff from behind me before saying, "Yeah no kidding, Sweetheart."

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I hope you guys like the chapter as this marks the end of The Avengers 2012 movie. Well kind of not really... the next chapter (little sneak peak) will be the shawarma scene and Thor's departure to Asgard. Plus more of Calliope's back story may be revealed and after that it will be some filler chapters before I begin Age of Ultron. Well that's all for today bye guys!


	11. Ch 11: Aftermath and New Beginnings

Hey guys I'm back with a new chapter I hope you guys like it! Like always I don't own Marvel only my Oc's

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Silence… it was completely silent as we ate our meals. As we agreed earlier all of us met up at the shawarma place like Stark had wanted to. When we first arrived it came to our realization that none of us even knew for sure if the shop was open or not. Most likely it wasn't which made sense because an alien invasion literally just happened five minutes ago but as it turns out it was still up and running. When the invasion first started the couple who owned the shop were inside serving some of their customers food and instead of running home which was a couple of blocks away they chose to stay inside and hide. They actually saw a few of us fighting in the city from where they were hiding behind the counter and they thanked us by giving us some free food. We thanked them for their kindness… especially when I realized I had no money to begin with so I got lucky. What? I'm broke it's not like I got paid to save the day.

Currently, I was sitting in between Thor and Stark across from the infamous assassin twins. Like I said before none of us were speaking as we ate our food. We were all exhausted or in shock after today's events so talking wasn't really on the top of anyone's list right now, plus I just wanted to enjoy the food. It was actually really good and I was surprised I never heard of it until today. It sucks that I won't be able to eat food like this for a while since well… I was going back to prison soon. They haven't told me at what time or what day I would be going back but I know it will be some time soon. I'm not too sure how I feel about going back to prison let alone solitary confinement. To be honest I still don't like people or a lot of other things in this world but maybe it's not as bad as I once thought it was. Maybe I could… my train of thought was stopped when a fry hit me in between my eyes. I looked up and saw Clint giving me za tired smile with another fry in his hand ready to throw at me in any second.

"Do you have a reason for wasting good food and throwing it at me?" I asked him as I picked up the fry he threw at me and popped it in my mouth. It's not like it touched the floor it landed on the table when it bounced off of my forehead.

"I was trying to offer you some of my food since I'm not that hungry." Clint explained to me as he pointed to the remaining fries he had on his plate.

"Well, you could have asked me if I wanted your food instead of throwing it." I told him and to someone else, I may have sounded mad but Clint knew how I was and he only smiled a bit wider at me.

"In his defense, he did try a couple of times but you weren't listening." Romanoff said, "What were you thinking about anyways?" I stared at her for a few seconds before ignoring the question completely and grabbing some of Clint's food and stuffing it into my mouth. I didn't want to even think about going back to prison let alone talk about it with one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s greatest spies and a bunch of people I hardly knew. Yeah, I know we just fought together to save the world but that doesn't mean they get to know my whole life story or anything. Right? I mean I trust them in a fight but not in my personal life especially not Fury's handpicked spy. I should just keep it in like I always do and try to forget about it.

"Calliope are you alright?" Steve asked me and it was only then that I realized that the whole group was looking at me.

"Yeah, I'm just fine." I mumbled, "Just thinking that's all."

"About what?" Dr. Banner inquired finally joining in on the conversation.

"Just... thinking that's all…" I trailed off looking back down at my plate which was finally empty. I turned back to Clint's food and I saw him scoot it closer to me and I helped him finish his plate of fries as well. It's always been like this between us now that I think about it. I used to be the one who took care of everyone in my life until Clint showed up and decided he wanted to take care of me. Well, he tried to because I sure didn't make it easy for him anyone could tell you that. I wasn't used to being taken cared of so when Clint tried it really threw me off of what I considered to be normal. Still, he was patient and slowly I allowed him to help me that is until I found out about his betrayal and went to prison, yet here we are one year later. For some reason, it feels like no time whatsoever has passed between us… it feels nice.

"Glad to see all of you in the same place." Fury stated from the entrance of the shop, "It makes things so much easier for me."

"Jeez, you're everywhere." Stark muttered, "Look we're just trying to catch a break."

Fury walks closer to our group still speaking, "That's fine Stark no one said that was a crime. I'm just glad you aren't sitting on top of a doughnut this time."

"Technically I was sitting inside of a doughnut." Stark corrected Fury

"What the heck were you doing inside of a doughnut?" I asked Stark stunned that he would be that… I don't know dramatic or maybe crazy. Maybe it was both considering who we were talking about.

"As mentioned before I was taking a break, keep up sweetheart," Stark told me before turning to look back at Fury, and with that final comment he made towards me I began my plans on murdering this smart mouth no good goatee wearing dork.

"As I was saying," Fury starts "This will make it so much easier when it comes to explaining what comes next."

"You mean what happens to us now." Banner pointed out as he began to fidget in his seat.

Fury took a seat at the edge of the table right in between Stark and Banner looking at Thor as he spoke. "Dr. Selvig has a way of using the cube to transport you to Asgard without creating a portal as Loki did. He'll give you more information when you see him, he wanted to see you one last time before you travel back to Asgard. I'll have someone escort you to the Doctor when you finish eating." Thor nodded in understanding and Fury turned to face the rest of us, "The job is done the city is safe and as far as I'm concerned all of you are free to go and live your lives as you normally have up to this point."

"So you aren't going to try and detain anyone of us?" Banner asked Fury still not believing what the other man had just said.

"Doctor you are free to go." Fury told him "You were never our target and you still aren't." I guess that shocked the doctor because he didn't say anything else and just leaned back in his seat trying to digest what he heard.

Stark brought him back to reality as he slapped Banner's thigh and said, "You're always welcome to come to Stark towers and check out the R&D department. Like I said it's like candy land." Banner didn't say anything he just gave a relieved smile and nodded his head.

Once he was finished reassuring the doctor Fury looked to his agents and said, "You two have some vacation time on your hands, use it. When you're ready, feel free to come back to work there are still some things that you need to do."

"Sir about what happened-" Clint started but Fury wouldn't let him finish what he was saying.

"Don't worry about that for now just focus on recovering Agent Barton." Fury told him and it was the first time that I could tell Fury actually cared for someone else. Finally Fury turned to face me and asked if we could step outside for a moment. I knew what he wanted to talk about so I agreed to his request but I guess that didn't go well for the others. Namely one thick headed archer who didn't know when to quit.

"Hold on I'll go with you guys." Clint said getting up to join us outside before Fury and I could even get up from our seats.

Fury motioned for him to stay seated "That won't be necessary Agent Barton."

"Well I think it is Sir," Clint told him, "so I'll just tag along just in case."

"Agent-"

"I'm going." Clint firmly stated looking Fury in the eye.

"What's all of this about?" Steve asked from where he was seated and all of the Avengers turned to face Fury, Clint and myself.

Before anyone could speak I went ahead and started talking, "I'm going to assume this has something to do with what happens to me next isn't it?"

"I just wanted to let you know that after Thor leaves an agent will be there to pick you up and take you to your final destination." Fury informs me

"And where is this final destination?" Steve asked getting up from his seat. Fury said nothing as he stared calmly back at Steve until Thor interrupted.

"Perhaps he meant her home will be the final destination." Thor answered but even I could tell he didn't believe what he had just said. He was just trying to stay optimistic about the situation.

"I wouldn't call that place a home point break." Stark stated from where he was seated already figuring out what this was all about. When Thor tried to ask what Stark had meant I finally had it. All of this tension and these useless questions will get us nowhere especially when half the team already connected the dots.

"I'm going back to prison Thor. End of story." I explained

"YOU SAID WE WERE FREE TO GO! YOU CALL THIS FREEDOM!" Bruce yelled at Fury causing the rest of the Avengers including Fury himself to stand. No one wanted an angry Banner yet from the looks of it they didn't want me in prison either so no one knew what to focus on. I was the only one who remained in their seat and stayed silent as the rest of them began to argue as they did back at the Helicarrier. Fury tried to stay calm about the whole situation and Romanoff did her best to hold Clint back since she wasn't choosing sides like last time. Huh, I thought she would have jumped to be on Fury's side but I guess not. The males, on the other hand, were arguing and saying things like 'How could you?' 'The child has done nothing wrong!' 'She just saved the city she's a hero!' so on and so forth.

I finally stood from my seat causing everyone in the room to quiet down as I made my way to Fury and asked him a simple question, "When I say goodbye to everyone will I be wearing orange or black and white?"

"No.." Fury softly told me "We brought you some of your old clothes to wear before you leave. The whole thing will be quiet, no chains, and no muzzles I promise."

"You muzzled her?" Banner asked in disgust as he looked at the other man, "She's a kid."

"Not my call it was protocol there was nothing that I could do for her." Fury explained to the group before turning back to speak with me, "We'll make sure that you have better accommodations this time around."

"Thank you." I told him and after that Fury left the shop leaving the rest of us standing there not knowing what to do next. No one moved for a good minute and I thought that would be the end of it but then again when have I ever been right?

"No, I'm not gonna let this happen!" Clint yelled

"Of course we're not she is a noble warrior, not a villain." Thor added

"We need to get her out of here!" Banner said

"Take her with you and get out of the country until we can fix this." Romanoff ordered

"In the meantime, I'll call my lawyers and see what they have to say about this." Stark stated

"Do everything you can Stark." Steve told him "For now we have to focus on getting Calliope out-"

"STOP TALKING ALL OF YOU!" I shouted getting overwhelmed by the whole situation "You guys don't understand what's happening or why I'm even doing this."

"Then explain it to us Lady Rodriguez because I quite frankly do not understand why anyone would ask for imprisonment instead of freedom." Thor said "We may have not started on good terms but that does not mean that any of us want you in chains. Whatever you have done we can help you with child. You deserve more than this, so please explain to us why you are agreeing to go through with it?"

I guess I don't have any other choice but to give them a tidbit about my past or at least pieces of it. I agreed to explain my reasoning behind my decision and we all took our original seats.

"One year ago or so I was living a semi-normal life until S.H.I.E.L.D. found me. If you look into my files it'll tell you just a tiny bit of what happened…. The reason it doesn't give you more information is because I made a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep the majority of what happened under wraps. The only one here who should know the full story other than myself is Clint." I told them as I stared at the man in front of me before looking down at my hands, "I've had these powers for a long time now and I knew if people found out that I had powers we would never be safe again."

"We?" Steve asked

I took a deep shaky breath before I nodded and continued explaining my story, "Myself and two other people… my sister and my boyfriend actually. All of us had been living in secret for years after Christopher and I first got our powers… We moved to Houston and it was nice while it lasted. You see my boyfriend loved to push everyone's buttons and the limits actually so he thought it would be funny to flash his glowing blue eyes at one of the cameras at our school. S.H.I.E.L.D. found us in no time after that and recruited us to save the day. What a joke." I said with a huff

"Kid I-"

"No Clint just no…" I told him before taking another deep breath, "We knew better than to trust S.H.I.E.L.D. or any government agency due to our first encounter with them when we were kids. Still, we were convinced that helping them was in our best interest so we did and they told us that this Aardwolf guy, some enhanced mutated thug, was going to try and destroy the place and take over. Just the normal villain stuff really nothing you don't find on TV. We put together a team to take him down it was me, Christopher, and Clint." I looked over at Steve and just stared at him for a minute before I asked him if he remembered what my reason was for not trusting S.H.I.E.L.D.

I saw his eyes widen slightly before nodding his head and saying, "You told me they kept important information from you that ended with the loss of life."

I continued to look at Steve and no one else as I finished my little yet painful story, "What they kept from me was a bomb that would have mutated or killed the whole city. Did you know Houston is home to around 2.125 million people, I thought that was crazy especially considering the fact that my family was among them. So when we found the bomb which Clint was supposed to disarm but couldn't because he got knocked out amidst the fighting… well, Christopher and I didn't know how to disarm it, so I came up with the idea to absorb the radiation. The thing is I wasn't the only one with that idea because that was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s back up plan. It's why they sought us out in the first place actually. If all else failed and Clint couldn't disarm the bomb in time we were supposed to absorb it. What they also didn't tell us is that the radiation inside of it was unstable and I guess they assumed it wouldn't have mattered and it would automatically fuse with the radiation that was already inside of our body's."

"I couldn't absorb the radiation there was too much and I… I just couldn't so Christopher did." I explained trying to get through with my story, "But it changed him and he mutated right in front of me and proceed to beat the living daylight right out of me. Clint managed to get him off of me when I got knocked unconscious and he hid us until Christopher or 'Nuke' as you people call him left. Once I woke back up they radioed us with his whereabouts. Apparently, he had managed to go all the way back to the safe house which held my sister. I flew as fast as I could to save her and…." at this point, my eyes began to water and I couldn't speak. I took a moment to gather myself before saying "she died in my arms that day."

"I am truly sorry for your loss Lady Rodriguez but I still do not understand how you were incarcerated if none of that was your fault." Thor said and I had almost forgotten that the others were still here since I chose to focus on Steve.

I turned to face Thor next before continuing, "That day I lost everything that I ever held dear in my whole life. Do you know what it's like to lose everything and then finally gain a family of your own? To love, support, fight for and spend every day with them as you run for your life because there are people out there who will tear that happiness to the ground. Do you know how it feels to see the person you once loved become mutated and deformed to the point he doesn't recognize you? Do.. do you know how it feels to have the person you loved more than anything… more than anyone… the person you would give your life for… who was so full of life to die in your arms?"

"No… I do not." Thor whispered

"I am 17 years old Thor and I have felt far too much pain to continue on living in this world, so I gave up. Once I was told the truth about everything and I put my sister to rest I gave up on life and I asked Fury to put me in prison and to throw away the key. The only reason I agreed to help with the tesseract problem is that I wanted to save someone I once considered my friend. Someone I still for some reason care about." I told the whole group. They sat there in silence trying to digest the information I told them so I took the chance to stand up from the table and walk to the front door but I paused there for only a second to say, "I hate this world and everything in it but… maybe you guys aren't that bad."

I left after that not wanting to hear what they had to say in return. When I got outside I noticed a few agents standing to the side speaking to one another until one of them noticed me. It was that agent who approached me, a female who looked a bit familiar actually, and she told me where to go to get cleaned up before the big send off. I went to the destination she told me about and when I arrived they gave me a duffle bag that held some clothing for me and they pointed me to where the showers were. I took a quick shower and put on a simple black v-neck shirt with dark blue skinny jeans and black converse. I didn't bother doing anything with my hair so after I was done I wasted no time getting out of there and flying to a rooftop of another nearby building that had been deserted during the battle. I just wanted some peace and quiet right now and it seemed this was going to be the only way I was going to get it. I felt too crowded earlier like I was being suffocated but maybe that was because I wasn't used to people anymore… it also could have been the fact that I told the Avengers a bit about my past. Granted I didn't want to but to be fair I did know at least half the teams past due to the files S.H.I.E.L.D. had on them. The only two I didn't know about were Thor and Romanoff, well mostly Romanoff.

Well, at least now they understand why I don't want to be a part of this world and why I would rather be alone. Then again is that really what I want? Do I want to go back to isolation or do I want to stay out here once more and live? Will the world let me or will there be a catch to it if I stay? So many questions and I feel like I don't have enough time to answer a single one.

"So this is where you are." I heard a voice say out of nowhere. When I turned to my left it was to find Steve in civilian clothing standing by the stairwell of the building which led to the roof. I guess he took the long way here since he couldn't fly on his own, but I wonder how he found me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, "Is it time already or what?"

He shook his head at me and slowly made his way to where I was standing "No they said they would radio us in when the time comes to say goodbye. From what I heard they're still working out a few bugs or something like that." Steve stopped walking once he reached me and it was quiet between us. Still, I couldn't understand why he was here and not somewhere else.

"Why are you here Steve?" I ask him as I looked to the city in front of us and not him.

"Looking for you." He stated as if that was answer enough

"But why?" I asked once more still looking ahead, "Why are you here? This is usually Clint's self-appointed job to come find me."

"Trust me he wanted to come here and talk to you but I told him I would instead."

I was surprised Clint had agreed so easily but I nodded my head nonetheless. Still, my original question had not been answered so I was getting a bit annoyed with the man beside me. "But why did you come to talk to me it's not like we're friends." I told him as some of my irritation crept into my voice as I finally looked at him. I noticed that Steve wasn't hurt or even bothered by what I said and instead he kept calm and continued to look forward. At first, I thought that maybe he didn't come here to talk and just needed an excuse to get away from everyone like I did but after five minutes of silence he finally spoke.

"Maybe because I know how it feels to have next to nothing and finally get that family I always thought I would never have only for it to get snatched away from me because I did the right thing." Steve whispered to me. I nearly forgot about that, he's the man out of time, he lost everyone he ever loved to war.

"Oh.." was all I could say to him as I looked down at the ground, "I'm sorry."

"I didn't say that to get an apology from you I said it because I understand you to some degree." He said, "I also know how it feels to give up and not want to become apart of this new world, or at least not to know how to be a part of it."

"Then how did you throw yourself back out there?"

"I didn't." He simply stated, "I didn't try to get back out there or anything really. I stayed in the past, for the most part, the only thing I bothered learning was how to survive in this new world and who was still alive."

"Who was still alive?" I questioned finally looking back up but not daring to look at the man beside me.

"From the group of people that I knew and cared for." He said softly "There's only one person left who's still alive from my past and I'm almost afraid to say hello to her. I don't think I'm ready to see her just yet when I know things aren't the same anymore."

"So what now then?"

"I think I might just try this new world out for myself. I might even work up the courage to say hello to my old friend and maybe after that, I'll try to learn what's been going on for the last 70 or so years." he told me

"Why would you want to do that?" I asked him frustrated that he would want to do that to himself.

"What do you mean?"

"Why would you want to learn about such a cruel and hateful world that will only use you?" I nearly screamed as I looked him in the eye.

"It's not as bad as you think it is." Steve remarked, "There are some good things about it too."

I let out a bitter laugh and asked him, "Like what?"

"You." I did a double take when he said that. Did he really have that much faith in me?

"I'm not a good person Steve." I told him looking back down at the ground.

"Really because you sure seem like a good one to me. Why else would you come back when you could have easily left before the battle started?" I didn't answer him and we lapsed back into silence but this time it was a comfortable one it lasted only minute though before he asked, "What about you?"

"I don't know what I want anymore or who I am. I'm all alone and I have no clue what's left for me except prison."

"But you're not alone." as soon as those words left his mouth I looked up and I saw him looking down at me with a small smile on his face, "So don't give up."

I laughed a little because darn it what is it with these people that they don't just let me fall already. "Thank you, Steve."

"You're welcome." After that, we were called in to gather and say our farewells to Thor. Steve gave me the option of going with him on his motorcycle that S.H.I.E.L.D. brought to the city so he can go back home when everything was said and done but I refused and decided to fly there instead.

I took my time getting there so I was one of the last to arrive at the scene and I didn't fail to notice two S.H.I.E.L.D. vans parked right beside us. One held Loki, Thor, and the cube while the other was meant to transport me back to prison. We did agree that I would go there when everything was said and done so I'm upholding my part of the bargain. What nobody realized is that I wasn't really given a choice on the matter. It was either work for S.H.I.E.L.D. and do what they said or submit myself and at the time my family, to other less welcoming options. When my family died the options were still there so, in the end, I made a new one for myself and here we are today. Once all of the Avengers arrived we went one by one to say our goodbye to Thor myself being the last one.

"Lady Rodriguez" Thor said, "Although our time together has been short I wish you the best my friend and I hope that one day you find happiness."

"Huh and here I thought you were just some pompous prince." I stated "But I'm glad you proved me wrong. I guess you're not that bad after all blondie. Safe travels Thor." we shook hands and we both left to stand at our spots. Mine by the rest of the Avengers and Thor with his brother as they vanished in a flash of brilliant blue light.

Now it was just us humans and it was time to say goodbye for who knows how long but at least I know Clint will come to visit me in prison. I turn to the others a goodbye on my lips as a hand grabbed my shoulder. A bit shocked I look up to see a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent holding on to me and another one coming up on the other side both of them flanking me. I should have known better than to trust them to let me say goodbye.

"Woah what's going on?" Clint yells at the two agents.

"We're taking the prisoner under custody to resume her sentence in prison under S.H.I.E.L.D. orders by Director Fury." The first agent said. He stood about six feet and his buddy was pretty close in height. Both agents were packing from the looks of it so I guess they meant business.

"What we're not allowed to say goodbye to the kid?" Stark asked them

"As far as we're concerned you already did." The second agent told him

Steve looked like he wanted to say something but I stopped him, "It's okay guys, really it is." I said with a smile. At least I could take one thing away from this experience and that was the fact that people like the Avengers existed and that was enough for me. Christina was right about not giving up on people and maybe this didn't restore my faith in everyone but at least I now have hope in a few.

The guards turned me around and led me to the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. van and halfway there I stopped in my tracks. As I looked at it I realized that this really didn't feel right and maybe it was meant for another person, not me. I wasn't the same person who wanted to waste her life away in a cell all by herself anymore, that's just not me. It wasn't until I felt a tugging on my shoulder that I realized I still hadn't moved.

"Ma'am it's time to go." The first S.H.I.E.L.D. agent told me. I looked up to him and made my decision right then and there. I freed myself from both of the agent's flimsy grasps and flew back to a foot in front of the Avengers.

"You're right it is time to go but I decided I will not spend the rest of my days in some cell all by myself." I told them a small smile dancing on my face.

"That's not up to you to decide. In case you forgot you are still under S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and even if you weren't a prisoner you are an underage enhanced being who cannot be trusted to walk around with the civilian population who are unaware of what you are and what you are capable of doing."

"Oh, the world knows who she is alright." Stark said somewhere behind me, "She just helped us save the city."

"Now with a story like that how can you fight it." I said with a smirk as I look at the genius standing behind me before looking back at the agents again.

"Ma'am if you don't come with us we will have to force you to comply." the First agent threaten but it sure didn't feel like a threat to me. I mean they look completely harmless compared to the Chitauri soldiers we just faced.

"You're welcome to try." I said with a smile as I rushed forward dodged to my left and came up behind them. "But I wasted too much of my life worrying about what this world might do to me and I think it's time I finally live my life as a free woman." As they turned around to try and catch me I shot up into the sky looking back at the Avengers and waved goodbye. Who knows maybe I'll see them again sometime soon but for now I think it's time that I figure out who I am and what it is that I want in life.

I flew off throwing my comm to the ground without a care in the world as I race forward. I was scared because I didn't know what tomorrow might bring but at least I knew I was finally free and no one can take that from me. Not anymore.

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Okay so I just wanted to let you guys know that the next chapter will be a flash back and with some of the present mixed in at the end. hint hint you'll finally read about the big betrayal that led to Calliope being angry with Clint one year ago. After that I will be writing some chapters that mostly explain how the avengers become actual friends since the end of the Avengers movie is 2012 and Calliope wont have her next big fight until 2014. I already have a lot planned but if you guys have some idea's I'm more than happy to write about it. Until next time bye


	12. Ch 12: You Lied to Me!

Hey guys, sorry I'm late! I was trying to upload the story on Saturday but I got held up with something. Oh well here's the new chapter. It starts off from one year ago. Basically the reason Calliope ended up in prison and why she got mad at Clint. Hope you guys like it. Like always I don't own Marvel only my OC's.

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_-Dream-_

_ Darkness was the only thing I could see all around me. Even when I brought my hands right front of my face, I still couldn't see them because it was just that dark in this room. I tried to light up one of my hands with my powers so I could get some light in here but nothing happened. I tried again but it still wouldn't work no matter how much effort I put into it. I started to panic as I ran through the void trying to find someone to help me escape but it was useless. I couldn't find a single person out here who could help me. I was all alone and scared in this endless pit of darkness with no way out. I tried to scream as loud as I could but it did nothing to fill the silence around me. SOMEONE LET ME OUT ALREADY!_

_ Suddenly I saw a speck of white light in the distance and without hesitating, I ran towards it. I kept running trying to reach it but the closer I got to it the less I actually wanted to face it. My running slowed to a jog then to a walk as I felt my heart ache the closer I got to the white light. My heart was burning with sorrow and I didn't understand why if this light is supposed to save me from the darkness. That's when I realized this light wasn't my salvation it was my destruction. I ran from the light._

_ I realized that the dark, the shadows, they kept me safe from the light that wanted to hurt me. I knew now that I would rather be in the dark where it's safe than go into the light where there is nothing but pain. I kept running but I quickly noticed that the light was beating back the darkness until there was nothing but light surrounding me. As the light engulfed me I felt searing heat spread throughout my body until I finally passed out from the immense pain._

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_-Past: 1 year ago- _

_ As I slowly woke up from that odd dream I noticed something was different. I still hadn't opened my eyes yet mostly because I was in that groggy sort of state where you wake up slowly first your mind then your body. Yeah, that's me at the moment but that isn't what's bothering me it's the fact that I can hear the beeping of a heart monitor somewhere nearby and I could smell rubbing alcohol as well. Why in the world can I hear a heart monitor in my room? Is someone watching TV nearby? And what's with the rubbing alcohol? Okay first I need to remain calm because freaking out will not get me anywhere. Once I had calmed myself down I opened my eyes to see what exactly was happening. I pay no heed to the bright lights that bombarded my sight since it didn't bother me. In my dream, I couldn't see in the dark but in reality, neither the dark nor the light affected me. The scientist that experimented on me long ago wanted to create someone who was perfect. That's how I ended with enhanced vision among other things. It's actually the one thing I'm grateful for._

_ From the looks of it, I'm in the hospital or at least it looks like one. I haven't been to many hospitals and the last time I was in a hospital I was only a little girl and I don't remember much about it. I've seen a few on TV but that's about it. At least it looks nice and very high-tech so that's a plus. I'm not used to having nice things so this is definitely an upgrade but that also means it's gonna be expensive. I just don't have the money for all of this. _

_As I continued to look around I noticed that there was a lot of equipment surrounding me but nothing was penetrating my skin. It was just a bunch of stickers with wires placed on my chest and my pointer finger. I try to take a closer look to see what else they might have put on me but my body starts hurting so I stop moving. Why am I in so much pain? What happened to me? Why am I in a hospital? I don't need treatment my body heals itself so what's the point of me being here. Something must have happened to me but I have no clue on what that could have been._

_ Wait a minute where is my family? I've been freaking out about myself this whole time and I completely forgot about them. How can I be so selfish? Okay, I need to stay calm and think. What was the last thing that I remember before waking up here in the hospital? All I could think about was that stupid dream I just had. I tried again to remember what happened to me even if it did aggravate my steadily rising headache. Where was my healing factor when I needed it? Okay, focus what happened Calliope? Okay I was saying goodbye to someone important and there was so much sorrow in that goodbye it hurt. There was so much pain as if it filled my very being and swallowed me whole. Then nothing it goes blank which is irritating because I need to find out what the heck happened to my family. Christina and Christopher could be in danger for all I know. I start to panic once again as the endless scenarios fill my head instead of memories that I need to remember._

_Next, to me, I hear the heart monitor beeping faster due to me freaking out and I try to calm down because freaking out and alerting everyone that I was freaking out was not going to help me at all. It doesn't do me much good because in the next second people come running in my room and I quickly close my eyes so I wouldn't get caught. I hear a familiar voice asking them if I was okay but the doctor keeps telling him that they aren't sure. They say something about me being new territory for them so they weren't exactly sure how to treat me let alone help me. Well that's very comforting. I hear more beeping and people talking over one another as they check me, and it takes everything in me to not scream at them for poking and prodding me when I'm in so much pain. Finally, they tell the man that it seems as if I'm alright for the time being and that they will keep an eye on me. He thanks them and I hear people leaving and the door closing behind them but I keep my eyes closed because I'm not sure if everyone left or someone stayed behind._

_ "I know you're awake kid you can open your eyes now." so someone did stay behind it seems, but their voice sounds familiar and even comforting that maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to open my eyes after all. I open my eyes and look at the man sitting beside my bed in one of the chairs I assume they leave in every hospital room. He looks worn down but healthy even if he's been a bit roughed up. Then again this is Clint we're talking about so why am I surprised._

_ "Hey, Clint what's up?" I ask him and it was only then that I realized how hoarse my voice sounded._

_ "I'm fine kid how are you? You took a beating I got worried that you might not even wake up." He told me as he scooted his chair closer to me._

_ "I'm in pain which is a first in who knows how many years." I told him truthfully before asking, "What's going on Clint? What happened to me?" I wasn't too worried about my sister and boyfriend anymore now that I knew Clint was here. He would never let anything happen to them. He knows how much they mean to me._

_I notice Clint freeze in his seat as he looked at me completely shocked by what I asked him. Now I'm starting to get worried again but I kept calm and asked my question again. It seems like he finally snapped out of it but he still doesn't speak as he grabs a nearby glass of water and drinks it._

_ "What do you remember so far?" He asked me as he puts the glass back at the bedside table to my right._

_ "That's the problem nothing. The last thing I remember is saying goodbye to someone and then pain and for some reason I-I don't know." I was starting to freak out again but this time Clint was here to help calm me down. Once I was calm enough he gave me some water to drink reminding me that I needed to stay calm. I'm glad Clint is here. I don't know what in the world I would do without him._

_ "Thank you," I told him._

_ "Don't mention it, kid." Clint said as he put the water back in its place, "So you really don't remember what happened?"_

_ "No, but can we talk about that after I see my family? I just really want to see them right now."_

_Clint didn't say a word as he gently took my hand in his and held it. Although I'm confused by his actions I allow him to hold my hand. Clint isn't a very affectionate type of guy so there must be a reason why he's wanting to hold my hand. We sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity until he finally spoke._

_ "Calliope I'm so sorry."_

_ "I don't understand what are you sorry about?" I asked Clint because in my point of view Clint hasn't done anything wrong to apologize for._

_Clint took a deep breath before went on to explain everything that had happened two days ago. How we found Aardwolf and his goons, saved the day, and how I lost the man I've been in love with for years in the process. Clint also explained to me that in our final showdown Christopher and I rammed into each other which caused a huge explosion that destroyed the surrounding buildings but luckily no one died. Everyone else had been evacuated by that point so that was good. Ten minutes after the explosion S.H.I.E.L.D. came back to check up on the situation but the field was so badly contaminated with radiation that it took hours for them to reach us. The reason it took them so long was that they had to decontaminate the area as they went along. Leaving that much radiation in one place was not a good idea._

_When they finally managed to find us they noticed that both Christopher and I were badly injured and unconscious. But that wasn't what surprised them. What shocked everyone was that even when we sustained many injuries and were unconscious when they found us we continued to heal ourselves and absorb the radiation that surrounded us. Carefully S.H.I.E.L.D. took us back to one of their secured facilities to heal from our injuries and to keep us from hurting ourselves or each other when we woke up. Apparently, Christopher woke up yesterday but he still isn't himself and most likely will never return to his previous state of mind. They are currently transporting him to a more secure facility where they will begin treating him but I can't let that happen._

_ "Don't touch him." I told Clint, "We made a deal that if we helped you guys none of you could experiment on us. If he won't die then just hold him so he won't hurt anyone ever again."_

_ "Kid we can heal him." Clint tried to tell me but I cut him off._

"_Can you tell me without a doubt in your mind that you can heal and reverse the mutation that caused him to try to kill me?" I ask Clint._

_"No. I can't tell you that."_

_I smile at him as I say, "Then don't try Clint. Christopher and I have gone through most of our childhood being experimented on and I won't allow anyone to do that to him as an adult. He doesn't deserve that and if he can't even recognize me then who's to say he's still in there. I've seen it happen before Clint, some people may remain physically but mentally they are no longer with us. Don't give false hope when I know in my heart that there isn't any left. To keep everyone safe… to keep him safe… lock him up… and promise me no one will touch him ever again."_

_ "I promise kid." Clint told me, "There is something else I have to tell you…"_

_ I laugh a little under my breath because what else can he tell me at this point, "What is it this time?"_

_ "It's about your sister, Cristina."_

_My heart dropped when Clint spoke her name because here I am mourning the loss of Christopher when something could be happening to Cristina. I start asking about a million question none of which Clint is willing to answer and that only causes me to panic even more._

_ "CLINT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BABY? ANSWER ME!" I scream at him begging him to tell me the truth._

_ "Calliope, your sister is dead. She died during the attack there was nothing anyone could have done for her." My world froze in that instant and then came tumbling down all at once. My sister is dead? Clint explained to me how it happened from what I had told him during the battle, from other agents, and from what the camera's caught in the warehouse. I could barely process it and I just felt so weak and light-headed. The next thing I knew Clint was calling my name but it was too late and I fainted._

* * *

_-1 week later-_

_ It's been a week since Clint told me about my sisters dying and Christophers' mutation. I'm finally being released later today by S.H.I.E.L.D. now that they're certain I won't go crazy like Christopher did. Plus the last of my injuries have fully healed so that great… yup just awesome. Who am I kidding it doesn't matter in the end._

_I miss my family. I know I should at least try to move on with my life for their sake but it's just so hard. I'm starting to remember more about that day. I don't know whether I should be grateful for the return of my memory or horrified by what happened. I think I'll stick with being horrified by the situation and the screams that I heard that day. I haven't really had the energy to do much these days either but then again it's not like I have much to do. At least Clint is still here._

_Like he promised he stayed by side and never left me alone. It was nice to know that I still had someone by me that I could trust. Clint's been helping me get back on my feet and he's even helped me organize a memorial service for my sister even if the only the people who will be there is Clint and myself but that's okay. According to S.H.I.E.L.D. I can't invite my sisters' friends from school or anyone else who cared for her but I don't mind in the end. It's not like I really wanted them there. I never really liked my sisters' friends they were always so… annoying._

"_Hey kid, you got a minute?" Clint asked as he entered my room disrupting my train of thought._

"_Got all the time in the world," I muttered and it's true because without my sister or my boyfriend what else do I have to invest my time into. No one that's what. Yeah I still haven't recovered from their lost and I know it will take some time to recover but I'm glad I'm not alone. Who in the world would ever want to stay alone?_

"_This is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury, he's here to discuss a few things with you?" An African American man appeared behind Clint who seemed to favor the color black above all else. He wore a black trench coat with a black shirt, shoes, and pants. Even his eye patch was the color black._

"_You must be Calliope Rodriguez, I heard a lot about you the past few days." Furry finally spoke although from the sound of his voice I wasn't too sure what to make of this situation or this man in general._

"_What is it that you wanted to discuss?"_

_Fury motioned with his hand for Clint to leave the two of us alone. After shooting me a final parting glance Clint left the room to us so that we could talk in private. Fury took Clint's usual seat and I sat on the edge of my bed facing him waiting for him to start._

"_I came here today to talk to you about your situation, or more like the options you have left at this point." Fury tells me and although he sounds sincere I can't help but feel like something is wrong. "In the beginning, you were given the choice to either help us with this dilemma and receive compensation as well as a home and job provided by S.H.I.E.L.D.-"_

"_Eh, I don't remember you guys approaching me as kindly as you're currently describing it. Let's be honest you guys threatened me Furry so don't try to hide that part." I corrected him, "I was told that either Christopher and I help you and become a part of S.H.I.E.L.D., which meant you guys having complete control over us or you'll detain us as possible threats to the public and take… my sister away from me."_

"_Fury"_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_The name is Fury not Furry in case you didn't get that part."_

"_I said, Fury." I saw Fury take a long deep breath before speaking to me again. It's fine by me he can take his time. I tend to have this sort of effect on people._

"_In any case, I apologize if it seemed like we were threatening you when we first arrived to give you the job. Sometimes my people forget that just because there are people like you that are enhanced that doesn't mean they're automatically the bad guy. I'll talk to them about that." Fury acknowledged as he got up from his seat and stood behind it to face me, "In any case, the job got done and as promised we will compensate you for your time with us. I know it's been difficult but we still need to finalize a few details before we move forward."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Exactly where you want to live and what you want to do from here on out." Fury explained to me and I sat there in shock because what am I going to do? I couldn't go back home because well I just couldn't. I can't walk in there without breaking at the thought that no one I love will be there to welcome me home. I'm all alone._

"_Do you have any place in mind?" I ask Fury because clearly I no longer knew what to do with myself._

"_I have a couple of places you can choose from." Fury stated, "One in particular that I think you would benefit from above all else."_

"_And that is?" without answering my question Fury reached into his coat and brought out a manila folder and handed it to me, inside I noticed it was my high school transcript._

"_You may not be a genius but you are a pretty smart kid."_

_I looked up from my Test scores to face Fury once more and I ask him, "What does this have to do with anything?"_

"_Not just any regular person can work for S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury remarked, "But then again you're not like most people. What I'm suggesting is that you take a standardized test and if you pass it I will personally give you a letter of recommendation to join one of our S.H.I.E.L.D. academies."_

"_But I haven't finished high school yet?"_

_Fury rolled his one eye at me and I never felt so much sass hit me in my entire life, "Don't worry about that you aren't learning anything useful at your school anyways. You'll graduate early and I'll make a few arrangements to make tutoring available for you. That way you won't be behind by the time the next semester starts. Math, English, science, and history information as well as techniques that the academy expects every student to have."_

"_And that's my only option?"_

"_No, but it's the best one that I have for you. You're a minor meaning you have to go to school and follow a set of rules."_

"_But a minor such as myself can risk her life playing the hero?"_

_Fury lets out a sigh as he says, "We had no other choice but to involve you two. When we first discovered you and Christopher we were only going to ask you about your powers and how you got them. Afterward, we were going to put all of you in a better home with a guardian and call it a day."_

"_Until you found out how powerful we are." I snapped back._

"_Again we had no choice but to involve you two. We had reports that Aardwolf had a radioactive bomb that he was going to unleash on the public. When you two popped up it was almost too good to pass up so yes we had no other choice but to ask you for help."_

"_You knew," I ask Fury._

"_What?"_

"_You knew about the bomb this whole time! It wasn't a surprise, you people knew about it right from the start!" I yelled_

_I heard Fury curse under his breath as he tried to fix the situation, but it was too late because now I knew this whole thing had been a lie. Wait a minute if Fury knew did that mean… no of course not Clint doesn't know anything about this. He would have told me the truth right from the start. Then again there was a certain amount of information S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't willing to give us that only Clint knew about, and that could have been information about that bomb. I need to find out the truth._

_I flew past Fury and swung the door to my room wide open. I could hear people talking all around me but I didn't care. Within seconds, I found Clint racing towards me with a confused expression written all over his face._

"_Did you know?" I ask Clint as my voice shook. Clint gave me a confused look before shaking his head asking me what I was talking about. The amount of hurt and confusion that was filling me to my core was unbearable. I needed to know the truth here and now._

_"Did you know about the bomb from the very start?" I asked Clint this time keeping my voice steady. Clint's eyes had widened due to shock as he looked over my shoulder to where I assume the director was standing._

"_I was under the impression that she already knew. You told me you had to remind her what happened since she temporarily lost her memory. I thought you told her about the bomb. It wouldn't be the first time you did something like that." Fury explained somewhere behind me._

"_So it is true!" I yelled bringing Clint's attention back to me, "You knew this whole time about that bomb! You knew it was filled to the brim with radiation and you didn't tell us!"_

"_Kid I-"_

"_NO, ENOUGH WITH THE KID STUFF JUST ADMIT THAT YOU KNEW ABOUT IT!"_

_Clint took a step back when I yelled at him, he must have been surprised that I had lost my temper. I have never yelled at him before, but I couldn't help it I was just so angry and hurt. Nonetheless, he admitted to knowing about the weapon this whole time. He explained to me how S.H.I.E.L.D. found out about the bomb a couple of weeks ago and the chemical mixture that was inside of it. He also told me that once S.H.I.E.L.D. found out that we possess the ability to absorb radiation they would use us to stop the charge should they run out of time to disable it. They didn't tell us because they weren't sure if we could be trusted with that information. They believed that we would use it for ourselves._

"_Calliope I wanted to tell you this whole time but I couldn't."_

_Tears filled my eyes, but I didn't let a single one fall as I asked him, "Did you know that Christopher would turn out like this?"_

"_NO- I- we… we thought that the chemical cocktail that was inside the bomb would fuse naturally with you guys. We had no idea that Christopher would mutate and would go on a rampage trying to kill everyone in sight." Clint said quietly_

"_Trying? No, Clint, he didn't just TRY!" I yelled once again, "Because he did kill HER! MY BABY SISTER IS DEAD BECAUSE ALL OF YOU KEPT A SECRET FROM ME AND CALLED A HAIL MARY WHEN IT CAME TO ABSORBING THAT RADIATION! None of you even tried to figure out if it would do us any harm because you didn't care about us or if we would suffer from it."_

"_I CARED!" Clint yelled back at me, "If I didn't care about you I wouldn't be here now. I was going to disable the bomb so you wouldn't have to, but I got knocked unconscious before I could even try."_

"_That doesn't mean you trusted either one of us because in the end you still didn't tell us the truth. If we had known what type of radiation was in that bomb, that it was deadly and unstable, we would have never gone near it. Now my sister is dead because the man I love killed her after he was exposed to something so toxic as that bomb. All because you couldn't tell us the truth." by now tears were freely streaming from my eyes as I faced Clint, and to think that I actually thought of him as a friend when he was keeping a secret this big from me. How could I have been so stupid to believe he ever cared for us and not our powers. He was using us this whole time, they were all just using us as pawns, and what's worse is that I let them. Never again._

"_Fury." I called out still facing Clint, "I have my answer."_

"_You do?"_

_I turn to face him resolve written all over my face, "Put me in prison, solitary confinement."_

"_Kid you can't be serious!" Clint yells as he put a hand on my shoulder, but I simply brushed him off and took a step forward._

"_This is what you guys wanted, right? To keep me contained, that was the other option I was given except I'm changing it. You will put me in a high-security prison in solitary confinement." I told Fury._

"_S.H.I.E.L.D. never wanted to put you in prison. If you were proven to be a threat then yes we would have done that, but since that isn't the case and if you had refused the other options we would have placed you in an observational facility until you came of age. Not prison." Fury explained to me, but I knew better than to trust a government agency and as recent events showed S.H.I.E.L.D. is apparently no different from the rest._

"_That's what you all say up front," I let out a bitter laugh as tears continued to stream down my face, "but we all know that's a lie."_

"_I don't understand how going to prison is going to solve any of this." Fury remarked_

"_It's simple, really. I'm giving up on this world. I give up on you, on Clint, on everyone really. The next time you're inches away from dying don't call me! I'm through sacrificing everything I love for you selfish, stupid, pathetic people. I hate all of you!" I conceal my face with my hand as I continue to cry, "You killed them, they were all I had, and you killed them!"_

"_Kid I'm sorry-"_

"_NO SHUT UP!" I whirled around to face Clint once again as I scream, "YOU PROMISED TO PROTECT HER! YOU TOLD US WE WERE A TEAM! YOU LIED TO ME! YOU LIED TO US… she died, and he might as well be dead, so I'll just die with them."_

"_Giving up won't bring them back."_

"_I never said it would you traitor. I said I'm going to die with them! I hate this world, it has never done anything for me except cause me pain." I look Clint in the eyes as I spoke my next few words, "I hope the next person this world decides to come for is you."_

* * *

_-4 days later-_

_ "So this will be your new home Rodriguez until you decide to accept our offer. It's always on the table." Fury tells me as the prison begins to process me and get my documentation in order. "Look I know we messed up but you don't need to do this."_

_I kept looking forward as they processed me. Ever since I found out what happened, I've been in a haze. I don't know how to process any of this. It's like, something is on my chest adding pressure to it. I haven't eaten in days or had anything to drink really. It's like I no longer want anything. No, it's more like it's too much of a hassle to waste my time doing anything. The only thing I've actually put any effort in doing was laying my sister to rest. __**He **__tried to come and show support, but I kicked __**him **__out. __**He **__didn't deserve to be there when I said goodbye to my sister one last time._

_Due to the contract, we had with S.H.I.E.L.D. no one is allowed to touch or experiment, on Christopher and me during our stay in their facilities. In the future, if I wanted to, they will allow me to visit Christopher at the prison he was staying in. For now, I decide not to because well, the memories were still too fresh. Although, I no longer blame Christopher for what happened that day. The only ones I blame is S.H.I.E.L.D. and __**him**__._

_I can't even say __**his **__name anymore. Just thinking about __**him **__sends unbridled rage through my whole body. It's best if I forget all about __**him **__and everyone else it's not like they matter anymore… it's not like I matter. I'm not even a person I'm just a weapon meant to be exploited. If only there was someone out there who could notice that I'm a person too._

_It was that kind of wishful thinking that got everyone I ever loved killed so I might as well do the one thing I know the world will hate. I'll take away their weapon and put it out of commission for good. I'll just sit by myself alone, that way no one can ever use me again. No more pain for me. Only darkness._

* * *

Authors note: I hope you guys like the chapter! This one was actually very difficult for me to type. I was trying to make sure I described everything without rambling yet putting enough detail for you guys to understand. Hopefully I did a good job. Well until next time bye guys!


	13. Ch 13: SHIELD Contract

Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter! Like always I don't own Marvel, I only own my oc's. Enjoy!

* * *

It's been two months since the battle of New York, and I have to say for the first time in forever, life was good. I'm currently flying through the skies since I'm bored. I no longer live in prison and I'm not following any orders anymore so that's a plus. I'm actually free. But the thing is that freedom gets kind of lonely. I don't have anyone by my side, but maybe that's a good thing for now. I need to figure out who I am and what I want to do with my life before I try to become friends with anyone.

All my life, I've been worried about others and how things would affect them. That didn't get me far. It left me feeling lost when I was by myself, so I need to change that. I'm not saying being selfish is a good thing, but maybe thinking about myself every once in a while is not such a bad thing either. Basically, I can't allow my world to revolve around others. It will only hurt me in the end, so instead, I need to learn how to keep my world going without isolating myself and without being overly dependent on others. So here I am wondering what to do with myself.

If I am being entirely honest, I've always been a quiet person. I usually left the talking to others as I quietly listened to the conversations in the background. Unless when I needed to speak to someone, I would just keep to myself, but that doesn't mean I'm not aware of my smart mouth and my attitude. I am well aware of that, and lately, I've noticed that side of me has come out more and more. I don't know if that's a good thing or not but I'll find out soon enough. Not to mention I'm way too blunt with people so I can already tell that I'm going to be a handful. But that's okay because for the first time in who knows how long I'm not afraid to speak my mind and truly that is an amazing feeling to have.

Now if I only knew what I wanted to do with my life. These last two months I've been keeping to myself trying to figure that out. I don't have a home, food, or any money so I've been hopping from one homeless shelter to another. I'm used to it by now. When I first escaped from those mad scientist with my sister and Christopher, we would often occupy the homeless shelters. We always left before Child Services was called that way we wouldn't get separated.

Luckily this time around, I look old enough for the people at the shelter to leave me alone. I also put on a simple disguise that would allow me to move about without getting caught since my face is all over the news because of the battle. It's a simple short sleeve baggy maroon shirt with black leggings. This outfit is one of the two sets of clothes I own, the other one is the outfit that S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me. The one I'm currently wearing is from a homeless shelter down in Florida. I also have a pair of black sunglasses (to hide my pink eyes), a black baseball hat, extra undergarments, and a backpack which holds my few personal belongings since I don't have a home. Now that I think about it, I have no idea what state I'm currently in. I've been flying all over the country as of late trying to keep away from S.H.I.E.L.D. since I'm still a minor. I won't be considered an adult for another five months, which means until then they will try to capture me because I have powers. Which is a no for me.

When I turn 18, I'll finally have the right to make my own choices without having to fight against the world. However, I can't help feeling like I'm making a huge mistake about S.H.I.E.L.D. Don't get me wrong I still stand by what I said about them earlier. When I was with S.H.I.E.L.D., they treated me more like a weapon than a person which I didn't appreciate. Then the thing with the Avengers happened, and S.H.I.E.L.D. did improve but not as much as I would've hoped for. I don't know how I feel about them anymore, so I just kept my distance until I could figure everything out for myself.

In the meantime, I'm still wondering what I want to do with myself. I can't keep going back to homeless shelters. I have the ability to work and do something with my life, so I believe that I have no right to go back. But I'm a high school dropout, so that doesn't leave me many options when it comes to well-paying jobs. Plus I have no documentation since S.H.I.E.L.D. confiscated everything I own. What to do, what to do? Well, there is one person I could ask for advice. I haven't seen him in forever, but he'll have to do. Hopefully, he's in a good mood today.

* * *

After getting a shower at a local high school, I got dressed in my black shirt and dark blue jeans. I made sure to put my hat and sunglasses on before packing everything away and taking off once again. I knew where he was staying. I had come to visit him several times before, so this was nothing new to me. When I reached my destination, two guards stood at the entrance. Both of them raised their guns once I touched down.

"Put your hands over your head," The first guard orders. "State your name and your business here."

"Calliope Rodriguez, I'm here to visit an old friend," I respond as I raised my arms.

"Miss Rodriguez?" Both of the guards looked at each other whispering something, but I couldn't hear them. The same guard from before took a step closer with his gun still trained on me.

"This facility has been informed some time ago that you were no longer welcomed here."

"Odd I wasn't told about this, but I don't think it matters," I told him as I begin to look around. My sunglasses were still on so they couldn't see me looking elsewhere.

"Why do you think that wouldn't matter?" The second guard questions me.

"Because whether you people like it or not I'm going inside." I simply stated as I lowered my hands and took a step forward.

"Stop moving, or we will shoot!" The first guard yells as the second one calls in for back up. "You no longer have clearance to this facility. Director Fury made that very clear. If you wish to enter, you have to go and get permission from him first."

"Now why in the world would I go to him when he can simply come here?" I ask the guard as I started walking towards them. I heard multiple people yelling now and to humor them I stopped walking, but that doesn't mean I had given up. "Tell me, what will your tiny bullets do to me? I prevented an alien invasion and knocked the Hulk unconscious. All of that with barely a scratch on me. Do you really think y'all can stop me?"

I started to walk forward until I was just in front of the first guard, and I looked him in the eye as I said, "I'm going inside. You are welcomed to try and stop me, but I promise you that you won't. Now open the gates before I tear them down."

The guard stared at me for another minute before holding his hand up, signaling to the rest of his men to stand down. I smiled at him before walking past all of them through the now open gates. I stopped for only a split second to say, "Tell Fury if he's man enough he can come here and face me himself."

After that, no one stopped me as I entered the facility and searched for Christopher. It took a while, but I finally found his cell. Well, actually it was a door, that led to a room which led to another room that held his cell. Yeah, a lot of precautions were put in place for him. He almost broke free twice so I can understand why. When I finally reached his cell, it was to find Christopher in the same place as always. His actual cell is a reinforced glass box that has eight bars of solid steel holding it in place. Christopher himself was being held down by manacles that encased all four of his limbs.

I stood just outside the room that held his cell looking at him. I wasn't allowed to go inside the room or go near his real cell to say hello. I had to stay outside and look at him through the two-way mirror. I put my hand on the mirror as I tried to get a feel of his power. Christopher and I had this thing where we could feel the radiation from other objects and people. I could actually sense it in Banner when I had first met him. Still, I'm not perfect at it. It takes a lot of concentration to sense it from others, but with Christopher, it takes seconds to feel him. His current radiation changed from when I first met him due to his second mutation, but it's still him. How I missed him. Finally, I gather the courage to speak to him, and I push a red button that would allow him to hear me.

"Hi Christopher, it's been awhile hasn't it," I say, although I'm not sure if he could even understand me at this point. "I've been busy actually, saving the world and all that. I know I never thought I would get back into the hero stuff, let alone with S.H.I.E.L.D. involved but I did. Except it was a bit different this time because I was actually a part of a larger team called the Avengers. Earth's mightiest heroes... Yeah, it just as dumb as it sounds but the people who are in it aren't that bad I guess. Clint's there too, by the way, me and him are cool again. We haven't really had a heart to heart talk but we're cool."

Like always he said nothing back to me so I just kept rambling telling him everything that happened in as much detail as I could. I know it doesn't make a difference, but just speaking to him even in this state has always put me at ease. I never had to hide anything from Christopher, he was like my rock. Although I do miss him responding with his own point of view. I just miss him.

After catching him up on all the current events of my rather messy life, I stayed silent. I allowed my thoughts to run rampant as I continued to sense his radiation. My only source of comfort. It was so lonely in this world without him and Cristina here to keep me company. I know there was no way of getting either one of them back but oh how I wish I could have one more day with them by my side.

"I'm starting to wonder who gives me more headaches, you or Stark?" Fury stated as he entered the room, disrupting my train of thought.

"Well look who it is the big bad pirate Furry reporting for duty," I declare as I kept my eyes trained on Christopher. From my peripheral vision, I could see Fury walk up to stand right beside me. Neither one of us said anything for a while. A couple of minutes later, I chose to break the silence, "Did you know that when I first met Christopher, he didn't have a name?"

"No, I wasn't aware of that."

"You see I first met him when I was 7 years old so about a year after my parents died. Some mad scientist adopted my sister and I from an orphanage and brought us to an underground facility. In our defense it's not like we knew the guy was crazy or anything but oh well. Christopher was in the cell right next to me. He was the first friend I ever had." I looked over at Fury with a small smile before looking back at Christopher. "None of us were allowed to have a name down there. They said we weren't human we were only weapons to be used, so each of us had our own number. I was subject 501 and I was the first and only successful female experiment they had. Christopher was 329 and he was just like me."

"Years later when we all escaped together the three of us agreed that we needed to find a name for Christopher. We couldn't call him 329 in public or people would begin to wonder. It was actually my sister who named him." I said as my heart began to ache from the memory, "She said that since both of our names started with a C we might as well give him a name that started with one too. Finally she said his new name should be Christopher that way the beginning of both of their names sounded the same. Christopher and Cristina. He loved it and so did she."

"Did you?" Fury inquired.

I laughed a little before I responded, "No, I thought it was so stupid. I thought there was no way people would not find that suspicious, but they never did."

"Why are you here Rodriguez?"

"Because I have no idea what to do with my life. I don't want to be a weapon, but I also have nothing else to offer this world."

"That may not be true."

"What do you mean?" I ask, looking away from Christopher to Fury, "What could I possibly offer?"

"Hope." Fury simply stated as he moved to put his back against the two-way mirror.

"Hope? For who? I'm a monster, not an angel. Monster's don't give hope we spread fear."

"Have you not seen the news lately? You're considered a hero-"

"By half of the population." I added, "The other half thinks of us as monsters and freaks."

"Since when have you ever cared about what the world thought about you?" Fury questions me, "Since when did their opinions become so important that you allowed it to define you. The world called you a weapon, and you strived to be considered human. S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to define you, and you left. So please tell me why it matters that this world thinks of you as a monster? I think it doesn't matter and even if you are a monster, well then we're lucky to have someone as amazing as you on our side."

I was left speechless by what Fury just said. Did he really have so much faith in me as a person? Even if he didn't, he did bring up a very good point. Since when did I let this world define me. I really have lost myself since the loss of my family. I just stopped fighting, and I allowed this world to trample all over me. But no more. I am not going to let them do that to me or anyone else anymore. I'm going to fight for what's right. I have to because if I don't who will.

"I'm not what this world wanted me to be." I started as I returned my gaze to the man I once loved with all of my heart. "I'm not who I once was either. I'm something else, someone new."

"Then who are you?"

"I'm the woman who is done with the cruelty of this world. I'm fighting for the people this world tried to suppress. I'm going to fight for those who decided to live once again. I'm fighting for the people who want a name, and were denied."

Fury and I looked at one another resolve written on both of our faces. He extended his hand waiting for me to accept it and all that it stood for. I looked at Christopher one last time before turning to face Fury and shaking his hand. I'm not hiding anymore.

"Hope. That's what you're offering, and that's something this world needs, Star Ray." Fury tells, and I couldn't help but smile at the thought of becoming something more than what others had intended for me to be.

* * *

-Two days later-

After Fury and I spoke, we both agreed to meet today to discuss the last details of my employment. Apparently, I'm heading to the Triskelion which is S.H.I.E.L.D.'s HQ in Washington D.C. I asked him how was I supposed to get inside and his answer was for me to wait in the front lobby. I left it at that knowing Fury will figure something out for me.

In the distance, I could see the Triskelion, and I must admit it is a bit intimidating. I actually got kind of nervous to go inside. I mean this place was huge, and it put most of the buildings I've seen to shame. It even rivaled the Helicarrier. I wonder how it looks inside. I guess I'll find out in a few seconds. As I came within ten blocks of my destination, I landed in a nearby alleyway to hide my backpack. Afterward, I took off once again until I was just in front of the doors to the Triskelion. After taking a deep breath to steady myself, I open the door to the building.

I walked inside, ready for anything they threw at me only to freeze after taking a couple of steps. There I stood in the middle of the lobby, and I actually felt a little self-conscious about myself. Everyone was wearing a suit and tie, and here I am with a white tank top that had four buttons at the top, two of which weren't even buttoned, and a pair of light blue jeans. Well, at least I'm not wearing the other two outfits that I own. I just managed to get this new one yesterday from the homeless shelter I was staying in. The only thing I couldn't replace was the dirty black converses that I own, but that's okay. At least I have a pair of shoes, some people don't even have that kind of luxury. I also decided to leave the hat and my sunglasses inside of my backpack today. There was no point in wearing them since I was coming to S.H.I.E.L.D.

As I continued walking, I saw a familiar female walking towards me. I couldn't place a name on her, but I know I had seen her somewhere before. I stopped walking, and within seconds she reached me.

"Hello Miss Rodriguez, it's nice to see you again." The woman stated with a warm smile on her face. "Director Fury is waiting for you. If you would follow me, I'll bring you to him." I nodded as she escorted me out of the main lobby and into one of the elevators.

Once inside, I couldn't help but look at the woman who stood right next to me. She had light brown hair with two braids on both sides of her head. The rest of it was let down, and it reached her mid-back. She had pale skin that was smooth and unblemished along with large brown doe eyes. She had a small button nose and pink lips. She was also very slender from what I could gather. She might even be my height or shorter if it wasn't for the white high-heels she was wearing. She also had on a white button-up long sleeve shirt with black slacks and a simple belt. She barely had any makeup on her face. All in all, she is an extremely beautiful woman.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" She asked me out of nowhere.

"Should I?"

"Well this is the third time we've met." She informed me as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. She led the way and as we walked together I couldn't help but think back to my past. When did I meet her. I know she looks familiar but I can't remember when I met her, and now she tells me this is the third time we've met. How odd.

"Well this is it. Director Fury is already inside waiting for you." She told me with a cocky smile on her face.

"Um, thank you," I tell her as I entered the room. As I walk into Fury's office, I notice that someone else was already inside speaking to him and it was none other than Clint Barton. I smile at Clint, and I took my seat to his right as Fury sat behind his desk facing both of us. I had to admit Fury's office was kind of a letdown. It looked like every other office you see on TV or in a magazine. Nothing special about it really.

"So we're all here today to discuss your future at S.H.I.E.L.D. is there anything you want to ask before we get started?" Fury directs the question to me, and there was only one thing that came to mind.

"Yeah, only one." I told him before looking at Clint as I asked, "Not that I mind but why are you here?"

"Actually kid that's something we'll tell you about in a few minutes. It has to do with the whole job offer." Clint informs me. I nod my head happy with the answer, and I turn back to face Fury.

"Well, first, I'm thankful that you are willing to meet with us today. I know we messed up in the past and I'm glad you're willing to work past that with an open mind." Fury begins, and I nodded my head for him to continue, "That being said we have a lot to go over. Including the training, you'll be going through."

"Training?" I ask Fury.

"Yeah, training." Clint answers for him, "Everyone who joins S.H.I.E.L.D. must go through training. Even Natasha had to go through it, and she used to work at the KGB and she's also considered the most talented spy and assassin in the entire world. It's mandatory for everyone to go through some type of training. Whether it's the bare minimum or in-depth training from level one."

"I'm guessing I'm at level one."

"You're somewhere in the beginning, yes." Fury confirms, "You've worked with us twice now, so you're more accustomed to how we work and who we are than most of the newer recruits, but there are a few things you lack."

"Like what?" I ask them.

"Proper training." Clint replied, "I'm pretty sure you noticed already that you mostly throw your weight around instead of actually focusing it."

"With that being said, I think it would be a good idea to enroll you in one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academies." Fury tells me as he brings out a pamphlet for the school.

"Wait, there's more than one?" I ask no one in general as I look through the overall information about the school.

"There are three different Academies that S.H.I.E.L.D. runs." Fury explains to me, "The first and largest of the three is Communications. They deal with data analysis."

"Basically, they do nothing." Clint interrupts as he rolls his eyes. The look Fury gave him for interrupting him was too funny.

"Um… okay what's the other school then."

"Don't worry about that one." Fury said as he tried to move on.

"Why? What is it?" I ask, "Who knows I might like it."

"It's the Academy of Science and Technology." Clint told me, "To even get in you need at least one Ph.D."

"So basically it's a paradise for Stark and Banner."

"Basically."

"Well okay, then what's next?" I ask them.

"The one I want you to enroll in." Fury tells me as he motions to something behind me. I turn around, and it wasn't until right then that I notice a huge screen behind us that wasn't there before. Maybe Fury's office isn't a let down after all. I wonder what other cool gadgets he has laying around here. On the screen is what I'm assuming is the last S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. "The Academy of Operations is by far the most difficult of the three."

"What does it involve?"

"How to do fieldwork." Clint tells me, "Basically the stuff Natasha and I do. You would just be doing it on a different level because of your powers."

"Did you go to school there?"

"No, I never even finished High school." said Clint, "But I have been to the school a couple of times to help out, and it's not that bad."

"So what makes it so difficult? I would think the Science one would be the hardest."

"Operations has a very strict regimen and an aggressive approach that the other schools lack." Fury informs me, "By far more people wash out of that program than any other."

"And you think that I can make it?" I turn back around to face Fury because from what it sounds like, this school is almost impossible to pass. I haven't even finished high school yet.

"No, I don't think you can just make it." Fury starts and at first, I was gonna punch him until what he said next, "I believe you will dominate it. You might just be the best agent to come out of the Academy."

"What do you say, kid? Which one do you want to join?" Clint asked me.

I took a moment to think about it. In reality, I have two choices and that included the Academy of Operations or Communications. In all honesty, communication did sound boring. All you do is analyze a bunch of information. Operations, however, is something I can benefit from. I have no fighting skills. All I do is throw my weight around and hope for the best. I can't do that anymore, not with people like Thor and Loki running around. They know how to fight, and they're powerful too. Plus I need to learn better control of my powers if I'm going to carry out my goals. It wasn't a hard decision to make in the end.

"Operations it is then." I tell them, "But don't just teach me about fighting. I need more than that if I want to survive."

"Don't worry, I have that covered." Fury states as he puts a folder on his desk with my name on it. "Inside this folder is a list of things you will need to learn before starting the Academy next semester. Just in case you agreed I already had arrangements made to get you started. This includes temporary living quarters until the school year starts in which you'll move into the campus for the duration of the year. Starting the day after tomorrow at 8:00 am, you will begin learning the basics like Math, Science, English, and History that the Academy requires all of their students to know. At 4:00pm, you'll start learning about the skills and techniques that are also required for all students to know before entering the Academy. On August 1st you will be tested, and if you pass then you will automatically be enrolled into the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Operations."

Okay, so all I have to do is pass a test that will be in twenty-three days from now. That's just great. Alright, I can do this it's no big deal, right?

"Alright, so when I'm enrolled in the school, what then?" I ask Fury, "I'm pretty sure my stay at the academy will be a lot different from anybody else."

"You're right. You will be pushed harder than any previous student we had." Fury explains with a stupid smirk on his face. I swear he's enjoying the fact that I'm basically going to be running around every day all day long. "For example every week you will have a test on Friday after school here at the Triskelion. Saturdays mornings you will also have another test, and after that, you will be free to enjoy the rest of your weekend."

"Why am I being pushed harder than everyone else?" I understand my training would be different since I have powers, but why am I getting tested more?

"Because you are an Avenger, the youngest one in fact." Fury states, "I need you to be ready for anything the world might throw at you."

"That's why I'm taking over as your Supervising Officer." Clint jumps in to tell me. Well, that explains why he's here at the meeting. "But I'm also needed on other assignments, so I won't always be here. Usually, when someone becomes SO, they don't receive many assignments, but that isn't the case here."

"Agent Barton is one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best agents, so he has other responsibilities that need to be taken care of other than you. The only reason we made him your SO is that we knew he would be best suited to you. Any other agent we would have assigned is someone you would have ignored. That's a known fact." Fury informs me. I couldn't help but smile at that comment because it sounds like I'm a rogue agent and that's hilarious.

"Technically someone doesn't receive a SO until they graduate from the Academy and start as an agent, but you've already had two assignments, so we thought we would bend the rules just a bit." Clint smirks, "But there will be times I won't be beside you so someone else will be there to pick up the slack."

"Who?"

"You already met her actually." Clint remarks, "Her name is Madelyn Edwards."

"Yeah, I have no idea who that is?"

"Seriously kid she was there on your first assignment."

"She was also the agent who showed you to your room on the Helicarrier."

"Well, now I feel awful," I muttered as I slid down in my chair. Apparently, I've met this woman two other times and… wait a minute, "Is she the agent that brought me up here today."

"So you do remember her," Clint asked me.

"Well, no not exactly." I tell both of the older men, "She had to remind me that we met before. Even then, I couldn't remember who she was until you guys jogged my memory."

Fury shook his head at me, and I could hear Clint let out a deep sigh. It's as if they already gave up on me before I even began. Clint let out the comment about how he shouldn't be surprised, and all I could do was shoot him a look in retaliation.

"Okay, so this Madelyn person what is she supposed to do anyway?"

"I'm going to be your main SO, but she will help out whenever I can't be there to test you or whatever else is needed," Clint explains to me, and really it just sounds like they're my handlers.

"Okay is there anything else I need to know?"

"At the moment, that's all. The rest of the information you need is in this folder." Fury tells me before motioning to Clint, "Agent Barton will take you to your temporary living quarters for now."

All of us stood up from our seats, and for the first time, it seemed as if we were all on the same page. We shook hands and left Fury to the rest of his work. Clint and I didn't speak until after we got into the elevator where he told me that he needed to get something from one of the lower floors. He also told me the day I passed that test that will determine if I get to attend the Academy I will finally get registered in S.H.I.E.L.D. files and be given clearance to certain levels. I'll have to get my pictures taken and everything. But I can't tell anyone about it since normally you can't have clearance until after you graduate.

When the elevator dinged, singling we had reached our destination we got out. We didn't walk too far to reach the room Clint told me about which was a plus. Also, there was almost no one here, so it shouldn't take too long for Clint to get what he needs. Apparently, since I didn't have clearance to this area yet, I couldn't go inside with him, and I had to wait out here.

"It won't take long, I promise," stated Clint before slipping into the room and leaving me behind in the empty hallway. I stood there for about five minutes bored out of my mind. Don't get me wrong I'm a patient person, but I'm kind of hungry, so I want to get out of here as soon as possible. I'm lucky that my stomach didn't decide to practice its rendition of a humpback whale during our meeting but that's mainly to do with the meeting being rather short. Any longer and who knows what type of sounds my stomach will make. I'm just glad no one is here right now and we're about to leave this place. What I would give for a spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a or chicken nuggets from Mcdonald's. My mouth is watering at the mere thought of food.

"Calliope?" I turn around at the sound of a familiar voice and all thoughts of food leave my mind.

"Steve, what are you doing here?" I ask as I flew towards him. Once I reach him, I kept myself at eye level with him. It took a lot of effort to look up at him so I rather just keep flying than crane my head upward. Clint was easy, he's only like three inches taller than me. Steve, on the other hand, is… how tall is he? I'm gonna have to ask him one of these days.

"Um… I work here now." Steve sheepishly told me.

"Really? I didn't think you would ever work for an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D." It did shock me that Steve was now an agent here. I wonder if we'll work together on an assignment one day.

"Well it took some time, but I finally agreed to work here. I thought it would be the best course of action." Steve responded, but a sudden look of confusion came onto his face as he asked me, "What are you doing here? I doubt S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to catch you."

"Oh well, it seems like you aren't the only one S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to recruit," I explained.

"Really? How did that happen?"

"Long story short I figured it was time to move on with life and to stop living in the past." I said while shrugging my shoulders, "So now I'm going back to school which is S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Operations. That's if I pass a test that's in a couple of weeks from now."

"When did this all happen?"

"Oh like 10 minutes ago."

"10 minutes ago!" Steve exclaimed before composing himself once again, "And you came here to get a job dressed like that?"

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I ask him crossing my arms and raising one of my eyebrows.

"Nothing!" Steve tells me as he stumbles over his words. Goodness gracious this man is a mess, but it is kind of funny to watch him trip over his own words. Finally, after a minute of stuttering, Steve regains his composure enough to speak to me again. "It's nothing against you, it's just that, well, when you want to get a job you have to dress to impress. That's all."

I couldn't help but smile at Steve as he tried to explain himself but what he said was true. The only problem is that I don't have the money to buy anything for myself at the moment. Although, there was no way I'm telling him that. So I might as well go a different route if I want to keep him away from the whole I'm homeless situation.

"Look I could come here in my PJ's and S.H.I.E.L.D. would not have cared so long as I accepted the job offer." I joke "Hey maybe that should be my new uniform, my PJ's"

"I doubt that would be a good idea," Steve told me as he moved to lean against the wall to his right. "So are you staying here in D.C.?"

"For now, I guess. That is, until school starts and then I'll only be here during the weekends."

"School, huh?" Steve says as he tilts his head to one side, "Is it for training purposes?"

"Yup, and I'm going to take a wild guess and say you didn't have to go through any of that, did you?" I ask Steve as some of my irritation swept into my voice.

"Well, I was a soldier before all of this, so that could explain it." Steve answered, "But that doesn't mean I'm not going through some type of training here at S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Well, at least I know I'm not the only one going through training then."

"True," Steve smiles, "But I'm a bit confused about one thing."

"What's that?"

"The Academy it's nowhere near here so why would you come back to Washington for the weekends alone."

"Testing purposes." Clint interrupted out of nowhere, "Cap, it's good to see you."

"Likewise agent Barton," Steve said, standing up straight once more. As both men finished greeting each other Clint turned to me stating it was time to go. Clint said goodbye and walked off, but I stayed behind for only a moment longer.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again, Steve."

"It was nice to see you too. Maybe I'll see you again sometime soon." Steve said with a smile, his hand stretched out to meet mine. We shook hands and parted ways after that and I met Clint in the elevator just as he got done pushing the button to for garage.

Once we arrived, we got into his car and left the Triskelion. As we were driving down the road, I couldn't help but think I was missing something. Something important too. That's when it hit me.

"Stop the car!" Out of nowhere, Clint swerved into a nearby parking lot that was for the most part empty.

He looked at me, eyes wide with surprise as he asked, "What? What happened?"

"I forgot that I need to go pick up my backpack." I calmly replied. When I saw Clint's face, I could tell he already gave up on my very existence right then and there.

"Kid you didn't come into the meeting with a backpack on"

"Yeah, because I hid it somewhere else in the meantime."

"Why in the world would you do that?"

"Just in case something went wrong at the meeting, I wanted to make sure my stuff was at a different location. If those things got taken away, I would have to start over from scratch again."

"Again?"

"It's nothing. Look can you just take me 10 blocks down from the Triskelion in the other direction, take a right, and wait for me to get my stuff."

"Sure kid no problem," Clint said as he drove out of the parking lot. We stayed quite the whole way there, which was something I was grateful for. I didn't feel like explaining my living situation to Clint. When we got there, I got out to retrieve my belongings, and afterward, we took off again to my temporary apartment.

"Is that the only thing you need to pick up?" Clint asked me, "If you need me to get some of your other belongings that you may have left behind, you can tell, and I'll go get them."

"Actually it's okay don't worry about it."

"You sure?"

"Yup." I said with a pop.

"Kid?"

"Hmm?"

"Where have you been staying these past two months since the battle?" I froze when he asked me that question. Lying to Clint is so hard to do for some reason. It's not that I'm incapable of lying to the man, it's the fact that he can always see through the lie no matter how good it is. Ignoring him will do me no good either since that will only confirm any suspicion he has. In the end I guess the truth is always the best choice to go with.

"I've been staying all over the place, actually," I told him as I looked out the window.

"So you've been homeless this whole time?" he asked me although it sounded more like a statement.

"Yeah…"

"Want to explain why you didn't ask for help?"

I turn to face him, and I gave him a look. "Why does it matter? I'm here now."

"It matters because for two months you were without a home. Living on the streets with no food, no money and barely any clothes," yelled Clint.

"Please, I wasn't starving, and I went to a homeless shelter to get some sleep." I explained, "Sure, there were a couple of days where I didn't get to eat as much, and I would also have to leave the shelter I was staying at because it was too crowded, but it was okay."

"You still could have called." Clint frowned, and I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. Clint clearly didn't like the fact that I was homeless for two months, but to me it was life. Plus I'm used to being in tough situations like this.

"With what phone?" I pointed out.

I heard him let out a deep sigh before saying, "You wouldn't have called anyways, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't have," I said quietly, as I watched Clint park near a set of apartment buildings. Okay so from what I can tell it will take less than 10 mins to get to the Triskelion from here by car. Neither one of us got out of the car, so we just sat there quietly together.

"I need to know where we are kid." said Clint, "I don't know if you trust me or not. I don't even know how you feel about me being your SO."

"I'm not mad at you anymore if that's what you're wondering."

"What's with the sudden change then."

"What do you mean?"

Clint gave me a hard look when I asked him that as if I should already know the answer to his question. "I mean, I can hardly read you anymore. You went from being one way to another, and now I'm lost."

"I just don't think you're used to me being nice to you anymore," I told him, and I saw Clint's eyes widen in realization. "You're so used to me hating you and being mean to you that this is completely unnerving for you. To have me smile at you again, talk to you, just being in the same room with you and not giving you the stink eye. You're not used to us being friends anymore."

I took a moment to look at Clint, who was my first friend after I met Christopher, and the person who taught me so much about life in such a short amount of time. "I'm not mad at you anymore, Clint." I gently told him.

"You're not?" He whispered.

"No, because I understand it now. Why you did it. Why you couldn't say anything to us. I understand, and I'm sorry." I noticed Clint attempt to say something, but I waved him off and continued with my explanation, "Don't try to say you don't deserve my apology because you do. You didn't deserve anything that I said to you when I was angry. I was mad at the world, at S.H.I.E.L.D. and I chose to place all of that resentment on you."

I looked down at my hands as I continued to explain myself to Clint. "I lost my whole world that day, and it left me bitter and angry. It's not something that simply goes away, I know that now. At least it doesn't go away when you lock yourself up as I did. I was just so sad and angry that I thought I was doing the right thing in shutting the world out, but now I realize that it was just me not accepting the reality of it all. I didn't want to accept a world they couldn't be a part of anymore. I didn't want to be a part of it. I'm sorry that I was mean to you when all you were trying to do was your job as well as being my friend at the same time. That must have been hard for you."

"No, I should have told you about the bomb Calliope." Clint stated, "But I didn't because I was afraid you would hate us for it. Hate me. All I wanted to do was give you kids a better life, and I messed that up. For that, I'm sorry kid."

"Wow, look at us being all emotional." I laughed, "How the mighty have fallen."

"Ha, you're telling me, kid." Clint said laughing along with me, the tense atmosphere surrounding us disappearing at that moment, "I've been manhandled by a couple of teens, mind controlled by an alien psychopath, seen monsters and weirdo's alike stand by my side and fight an alien invasion. I'm through with life."

"Same dude, same." We both laughed for another couple of minutes before a comfortable silence fell between us. "Hey Clint, promise me one thing okay."

"Depends… what is it?"

"No more secrets between the two of us."

"I promise kid. No more secrets."

* * *

Hey guys I actually have to admit this chapter was a bit more difficult for me to write just because I didn't want to repeat to much of what I wrote in the past but I needed to explain some things to introduce something else too. Also I hope you like my sneak peak into my new character Madelyn Edwards. P.S. she was inspired by Margaery Tyrell from Game of Thrones. Well until next time bye!


	14. Ch 14: New Life and Test Time

Hi guys I'm back with a new chapter! Like always I do not own Marvel I only own my OC's. If I did own marvel none of my babies would be dead. I'm still crying over that. Anyways enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

It was quiet and very peaceful in my room this morning as the sunlight beamed into my room. I was lying in my bed, and it was around 7:00 am so I was in no rush to get up and start the day anytime soon. It was the day after I had accepted Fury's job offer to join S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Academy. I still can't believe all of that happened yesterday. Just a week ago, I had no job, no money, and I was homeless, but now I have everything I could ever need even a debit card. Well, that's if I pass the exam that will determine if I can join the Academy or not. If I don't pass, everything will be taken away again.

I heard a knock on my door alerting me that someone was here. If I'm not mistaken Clint did tell me he would be coming over today, but I thought he meant later on in the day. Oh well, it's not like I was sleeping anyhow. As I got up from bed, I took a good look around my room. It was a nice room even if the walls were bare of any decorations, like the rest of my apartment. The only furniture I have in my room is my full-size mattress and my rickety dresser that held all of my clothes. Everything inside of the apartment is from my old one in Houston. I was told that S.H.I.E.L.D. confiscated everything when I went to prison, but since I'm free again, they gave me all of my belongings back.

I left my room and made my way past the living room to the front door. As I open the door, I was a bit shocked to find a woman with a smirk dancing on her lips instead of Clint. I did not expect to find Miss Madelyn Edward standing outside of my door this early in the morning. She was wearing a light blue shirt, with white pants, and some heels. I, on the other hand, felt underdressed in my own home because of her. I was wearing a maroon shirt, with black leggings, and polka dot socks. I currently do not own any pj's so I thought this would be a good substitute for now. Apparently not since Miss USA decided to drop by and lower my self-esteem a couple of notches. Look I know she's an assistant SO to Clint, but I'm not supposed to start training until tomorrow. What the hell people. Can't they let me have one day off?

"Hello, Miss Edwards." I say politely, "Can I help you with something?"

"At least you remember my name this time." Edwards said as her smirk grew, "Actually, I'm here for you."

"Really? I thought today was my day off to get settled in."

"It is don't worry. Do you mind if I come in." Well yeah, I mind, but I'm not going to say that out loud. Mostly because I'm curious as to why she's here bothering me so early in the morning. I move out the way, and she walks past me into my living room. She looks around for a quick second to observe her surroundings before settling down in my beat-up old brown sofa. I took the blue recliner that was the opposite of her. The only thing separating us now is a wobbly gray coffee table.

"So you're here because…" I start saying trying to get this over with not bothering being polite.

"I'm here to check up on you actually. You're new to this area so I thought it would be a good idea to see how you're doing and make sure that everything is okay." I would have rolled my eyes at her if it wasn't for the fact that she seemed completely sincere about it. Even her smirk disappeared from her face.

"Well," I start out with, "I'm fine, actually. I just woke up 5 minutes before you arrived. Haven't really done much per se." That does remind me I need to check my belongings and figure out what I need to buy. I still have the essentials like a bed and wardrobe along with my kitchen supplies. What I'm curious about is my clothes, by that, I mean how much do I have and does it still fit. If not well I've been given an allowance to go buy some clothes. I also need food, bathroom essentials, school materials, etc. It's going to be a long day, that's for sure.

"Do you need any help?" Edwards asked me, "I don't mind lending a hand."

"Actually Clint said he was going to stop by later today and help me out, but thank you for the offer," I said quickly and politely.

"Well, that's good." She stated quietly, "Well, I also wanted to let you know about a few other things before I leave here today."

"Um okay."

"As you already know, I'm going to assist agent Barton as your supervising officer, which means we'll be spending quite a bit of time together." She starts out with. Honestly, it seems a bit bothersome to have two SO's, but I guess I don't really have a choice. "That reminds me you'll need my number in case of emergencies or schedule changes."

I see here reaching into her pocket and pulling out a card with what I'm assuming has her contact information. I took it from her, and I was right because it had her number and email. There was only one problem that I could see.

"How am I going to contact you if I don't have a phone or a laptop?" She gave me a blank look when I said that as if she wasn't expecting it. "What?"

"Nothing, I'm sure you'll receive one soon enough. It's important that you have a phone that way we can contact you in case some sort of emergency arises. In the meantime, the next thing I wanted to speak to you about is what you can and can't say to those around you."

"I know I'm not dumb." I say a little irritated that she thought I would shoot my mouth with the next person I see on the street, "Nothing leaves S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Actually even in S.H.I.E.L.D., you have to stay quiet."

"What do you mean?" I ask her a bit confused about this new piece of information.

"If everyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. knew everything that everyone else knew, then that would be a liability. Our enemies would know our secret in a matter of seconds if they managed to capture just one agent, so to avoid this, we only share information with others if they need to know about it. That means they have to have clearance or else they can't have anything. You understand, right?"

"Yeah, that makes sense. We can't just let the bad guys have all the info. Is there anything else you need to tell me or was that it?" I just wanted to get rid of this woman as soon as possible. If I hadn't been paying attention, I might have missed it because for a brief second I notice that Ewards had hesitated before shaking her head.

"No, for now, I believe that was everything." She said standing up. I stood up and walked her to the door. "Well, it was nice speaking to you again."

"Yeah, you too," I said hesitantly before waving goodbye and closing the door behind her. That was weird and kind of awkward, but at least she's gone now. I didn't really expect her to come and pay me a visit, but I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Oh well, enough of that I better go get a shower and get some breakfast before Clint arrives.

I walk back into my bedroom and grab some of my old clothes to try them on only to find out half of them are ruined. Ten of my good shirts and two pairs of my pants were destroyed by what I assume were moths. I hate my life so much right now because all that was left was my old work clothes. It's not like I had a lot of clothes, to begin with, my family was poor, so having nice possessions were hard to come by. I would have to buy some new clothes eventually, but for now, it's back to my original choices. I took all of the clothes I could salvage and put them in the hamper to wash later tonight once I got some detergent. The rest of my clothes I threw away as I started to fix some breakfast up for myself. Nothing special since I don't have a lot of ingredients, to begin with. It was just some bread with butter on it.

Once I was done with my breakfast, I went back into my bedroom to get a shower. I finally had a bathroom inside of my room instead of out in the hallway, and I think that is just the coolest thing. I mean sure in the helicarrier I had a bathroom inside of my room, but that was different. Once I got my clothes ready, I start to undress. I was right about to take off my leggings when I hear another knock on the door, and I let out an audible groan. I put my shirt and bra back on before stomping to the front door.

"What!" I yelled as I practically fling the door wide open and scaring the crap out of poor Clint, "Opps, I'm so sorry Clint, I didn't mean to yell at you. By the way, what's in the bag?" I could see in his left hand, two bags and one just so happened to be Burger King.

"Kid, I told you I was coming over today." Clint told me while giving me a look for yelling at him, "I got us some breakfast since I knew you don't have a lot of food. The other bag has some clothes since I know you're lacking in that department too."

"Wow, you're a lifesaver. Plus you're right about my wardrobe because most of my old clothes are moth-eaten. I just checked." I explain to Clint as I led him into my small kitchen. In there I had a small brown table with mismatched chairs all around. Both of us took our seats on either side of the table.

"You wanna tell me why you yelled as soon as you opened the door to me." I winced when Clint asked me because, in all honesty, I didn't mean to yell at the poor dude. Especially when he was nice enough to buy me food and bring me some new clothes.

"Well to explain that I have to mention something else that happened earlier so just bear with me okay…" Clint raised one eyebrow at me, but he didn't say anything in return. Assuming that meant I could go ahead with my story, I began speaking once again. "You see, an hour or so ago Edward's showed up."

"She did?" Clint asked, "It's not really like her to do that sort of thing."

"She claimed that the only reason she came was to check up on me, but I don't know. She could have been trying to get on my good side or something."

"I doubt it kid, Edward's isn't the type of person to do that. She's not a kiss-up, and she could care less about most people. She's clever enough to make it seem like she cares without getting some brown on her nose if you know what I mean."

"Then, why come here."

"Like she said, probably to check up on you, she must be taking the job more seriously than I first thought. Actually, now that I think about it she was really excited when I told her you were coming to S.H.I.E.L.D. she even volunteered to be my assistant, and she usually doesn't do stuff like that.

"What does she do?" I have to admit I was intrigued by this mysterious woman. She was very strange, and I couldn't help but want some more information on her.

"Can't say kid sorry. You don't have clearance, and I don't think she'll appreciate you knowing her business."

"Fine, I'll leave it alone… for now, that is." Clint gave me a look for that, but I kept my attention on my food. It was french toast with hash browns and some orange juice. What a blessing this man has been in my life. I love french toast. "As for the reason I yelled at you, I thought you were another agent here to annoy me on my day off."

Clint merely shook his head at me and left it at that as we continued to eat. He knows me better than most people, so he wasn't surprised by my explanation. I'm not exactly a people person or what you term as a social butterfly. First off I hate butterflies, and the only reason I wear the broch my sister gave me is because she loved it. I, on the other hand, am more like a wallflower. Honestly, if I could choose to stay indoors instead of going outside, I probably would.

"So do you know what we need to buy?" Clint asked me once we finished eating and pulling me out of my train of thoughts.

"Yeah some groceries, bathroom stuff, detergent, paper napkins, cleaning products, and some more deodorant and toothpaste. I'm running low on those last two things. Oh, I can finally get some perfume again. I haven't had perfume since before I went to prison." I replied as I snatched the last hash brown from the bag and popped it into my mouth.

"Nothing else?"

"Nope."

"You sure?"

"Yup."

"Your hopeless, aren't you?"

"And that was uncalled for… what the heck?" here I was enjoying a really good breakfast, and he just ruins it. "How am I hopeless?"

"Your furniture is practically falling apart, and most of your clothes are ruined. How are you not hopeless? It's not like we haven't given you any money to buy some new things."

"I don't see what that has to do with me being hopeless," I stated because to me everything was perfectly fine. I now have a home to live in, clean water, a bed, some clothes, and money to buy some essentials. What more could I need? I even say this out loud a moment later to Clint, and he still doesn't seem convinced.

"I always thought that the reason you didn't buy any nice things was the fact that you didn't have a lot of money."

"And you would be correct in assuming that. I only bought things that were cheap and rarely did I ever find something nice. My **nice **shirts consist of normal v-necks in different colors." I told Clint frankly, "I'm not ashamed by this. I had to do that to provide for my family. Even if it meant we didn't have nice things because, in the end, we had what we needed even if it's not exactly what we may have wanted. I was easier on my sisters' case but other than that I'm a real penny pincher. That meant I had more money for emergencies, and repairs, or paying people off to leave us alone."

"I forgot about that." Clint admitted quietly, "You guys lived by yourselves for a long time. No one took care of you, and people often tried to take advantage of you until you guys found dirt on them. You and Christopher we're always working odd jobs, and since you were so young and without a permit or a parent's permission, they docked your pay. There was nothing you could ever do about that."

"Exactly, so as you can see I'm not too fond of wasting all of my money." I said before adding, "Especially when it can be taken away in a drop of a hat."

"We won't leave you homeless kid-"

"I'm not going into foster care," I sang.

"Fine, but we would have worked something out," Clint assured me. I merely rolled my eyes and got up to go take a shower, picking up the new set of clothes with me. I called over my shoulder to Clint, telling him that I would be right back after I took a shower and change clothes.

As soon as I got into my room, I got a fresh pair of underwear, socks, and a bra. Afterward, I went straight into the bathroom and stripped down, throwing my dirty laundry on top of the toilet. My new clothes were on the countertop waiting for me when I'm done. I got in the shower and did my normal routine. Brush my teeth as I washed my hair, and after that, I scrub the rest of my body. No matter what situation I was in, it was important to me to have good hygiene. I can't stand it when people smell bad, and I know some just can't help it, and that's okay. If it's because of a profession or something happened and you couldn't help it, that's okay. What I hate is the fact that some people refuse to play with water. I mean, it's not hard.

Once I was done, I took my towel and quickly dried off and proceeded to get dressed. After I finished putting my new clothes on, I looked in the mirror, and I have to admit I did like the outfit that Clint got me. It was a black short sleeve Adidas shirt and white jeans that had holes in them where my knees are. Pity I don't own Adidas shoes to go with the outfit but oh well. Leaving my hair to the usual mess that it's always in I leave the bathroom. There's no point in trying to fix it at this point. I mean if I'm destined to look like Mufasa for the rest of my life due to my terribly puffy hair so be it.

Before going into my living room, I head to the nightstand beside my bed and grab the new wallet that Clint gave me yesterday. It has a temporary picture ID that I have no clue where they got from, some cash, and a debit card. It was still unbelievable that I had this much money in my wallet. I better get going I told Clint I wouldn't take long to get ready.

"Kid, are you done? You're taking forever!" I hear Clint whining from the living room. I roll my eyes before responding.

"It's barely been thirty minutes Clint, and you're already whining and complaining. Can your gender not complain about a woman getting ready for five minutes! Goodness Gracious!" I yelled as I stomped out of the room.

The rest of the day was spent buying groceries, exercise clothes (Clint said I needed them), running shoes, some new converse, some shirts and pants (Clint insisted), actual pajamas, house essentials, school supplies, and finally my first phone and a laptop. I got the Samsung Galaxy S II, and I love it so much. I've never had a phone before, so it was kind of exciting, and I sound really stupid right now, but it's okay because no one can hear my thoughts, so I'm safe. Although I have to admit it has been a very long day, but I did have a nice time. Clint and I were bickering through the majority of it, so there was plenty of laughs. Sadly early tomorrow morning he had to leave D.C. He told me he would call to check in every so often and I was free to call or text him in case of anything. Also, I had Miss Edwards as a contact in my phone just in case I needed anything.

Tomorrow will be my first day of tutoring, and I hope it goes well. If it doesn't, I will not be surprised in the least given my track record. Apparently, life truly hates me.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I had the best day ever. My tutor is amazing! He's extremely informative and kind. He was very understanding about my current situation, and he was willing to help me out in any way that he could. My skills training was even better. I learned so many cool things, and it was all so easy to accomplish. For a second, I thought getting into school would be difficult, instead, it seems way too easy. I never thought I would have such a nice first day, yet here I am in bed content with the world for once.

Here I am in bed contemplating murder for the past five minutes since I got home. Sure the heat doesn't bother me, but I prefer cloudy days instead, and although the birds were more like a nuisance than actual musical talent I let that go too. What I didn't appreciate was being called a moron five times in a row by my tutor. Instead of teaching me anything, he first gave me a pop quiz. Fine I guess he wanted to see where I am in my education, not a problem. After that, he grades my quiz and starts yelling at me. I understand that I never finished High School, but that doesn't mean he gets to yell at me. He then gave me four different books and told me that I was to read each book from chapter 1-10 by tomorrow. I also have to take notes and write a two page summary for each chapter. He further said that tomorrow when he gives me my first quiz that if I didn't improve, I should just give up and stand at some random street corner for the rest of my life. Apparently, that will be the only use I could ever be to this world. It took everything within me to not stick something sharp** up his** **as-**

Anyways, that was only my tutoring session, next was my skills training, and that was equally horrific. I wasn't flexible enough, or I was too stiff. Either I was focusing too hard on the subject, or I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing. It was a complete mess, and at this point, I'm surprised I didn't murder someone today. I even got insulted again! It wasn't even creative, it was just the same insult as before. The fact that both of these men told me I should quit right now and go work a corner is just infuriating. If you're going to insult me, then at least put some thought into it don't just waste my time.

Not to mention I now have to take extra classes...fun. This includes yoga, pilates, swimming (because flying through water doesn't count), and running at least two miles a day for the next week. I just want to ask the world why I'm being punished and if there was any other way I can atone for my sins instead of this crap.

Here's to crying myself to sleep for the next four years of school. Oh yeah if I'm doing all of this crazy stuff, then I better make it into the Academy with flying colors, or else Imma lose it. Not only am I going to make it in the academy but I'll pass it with 100's all around. I have no choice but to pass because today was the first time in history that I was able to drink a Starbucks caramel frappuccino. I can't go back to my old life now and be denied this sugary caffeinated drinks or else I might just become a villain to drink more of it.

I hear a ring sound off by my ear, and I let out a scream that sounded like a mix between a dying cat and a walrus. As I shot into the air, I looked back to see what was making that noise only to realize it was my phone. I forgot I had one now. As I lowered myself back down to my bed, I reached for the phone looking at the caller ID. I wasn't too surprised to find Clint calling me.

"Hello," I answer the phone on the last ring.

"How?"

"I'm sorry?" I start out with, "What do you mean how?"

"It's only been one day, and I've already got phone calls and emails about how bad of a student you are. Kid, you're not even in the academy yet, and people are complaining!" Clint yells at me through the phone "I thought I told you to keep that smart mouth of yours on check for at least a week."

"Clint I-"

"Why is your tutor telling me that you should quit?"

"Are you gonna let me talk at any point of this conversation or what?" there was a pause over the line before I heard a quite yes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Clint… for the most part, I don't. I know I'm not as patient and quiet as I use to be back when we first met, but I promise you I did not start shooting my mouth." I explain to him, "Now about me quitting that is my tutor's idea. He claims I'm a moron and the best thing to do is to go find a street corner to stand on."

"So you didn't shoot your mouth?"

"Maybe once… at the end."

"That's what I thought." Clint responded, "Now, what did you say?"

"Well, he kind of set the joke up for me." I paused, waiting to hear if Clint had anything to say before I continued. Apparently, he didn't so I went on ahead and said, "Well at the end of class he grabbed a ruler out of nowhere, and he said at the end of the ruler there was a moron-"

"Let me guess you said which end?" Clint guessed with an unimpressed tone of voice.

"Nope."

"No? What did you say then?"

"Well if you stay quiet for more than five seconds maybe I'll tell you." I replied, "I acted amazed that he found the ruler and that I was so happy for him. I said that was great because this whole time I thought his ruler was stuck up his butt. Then I asked him if that's not what's up there then what the hell decided to die there and make him angry. I also asked him if it was the same thing that is making his breath smell that bad."

There was a long stretch of silence on the line before I heard Clint trying to hold back his laughter. Well, that's good at least I'm not in too much trouble. If I can make him laugh then I know I can get out of this mess without him getting angry with me.

"That was actually a pretty good one kid," Clint finally said.

"So you're not mad?"

"Eh, I can't really get mad at you he had it coming. But I think that joke went to waste on him. He only gave you a weak insult, and you actually had one that was a bit unexpected."

"So what's the verdict?"

"I'll let it slide for now but don't make a habit of mouthing off. That goes into the reports, and it makes it that much harder to get accepted into the academy."

"Okay fine I promise from here on out I will grin and bear it. Now, If you'll excuse me, I have a mountain of homework to do, and I have to wake up really early tomorrow morning. Bye."

It was 7:00 pm and I was exhausted from today's events, but I also knew my teacher doesn't care about that as he still expects all of the assignments to be done by tomorrow morning. If I want to get done at a reasonable time I better get started. I can already tell that I won't be getting much sleep tonight.

Today was the day that I will be taking the exam that will determine whether or not I would be joining the Academy of Operations. I was extremely nervous at the moment. I've been studying non-stop for this exam so I wouldn't end up failing. The problem is that I'm a terrible test taker. I know the material by heart, but if you put an exam right in front of me, I'll have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I just freeze and lose concentration, or I do the complete opposite and focus too hard when the question is so easy. Man, I hope I can pass this exam.

I was currently walking towards my usual classroom 135, and my heart was beating a mile a minute. If I don't calm down now, I'm positive I'll fail this test. My future was riding on this exam, and I can't afford to fail it. The exam itself has three parts to it, and those three had subcategories of their own. The first part of the exam dealt with basic knowledge like math and English. The next part of the exam questions you on how you would approach certain situations, and the subcategory for that is making a step by step plan detailing how you would go about it. Finally, the last one is the skills assessment. You have to do a series of skills perfectly within a certain time frame, or you automatically fail. Yeah, I'm going to fail.

When I walk into room 135, I noticed a room filled with students that I've never seen before in my life. They were all dressed in office attire clothing while I was standing at the doorway in sweatpants and a black t-shirt on. I don't know why I chose today to leave my sunglasses at home.

Acting as if everything was fine I walk towards the only empty seat in the middle of the classroom, placing my backpack right beside me on the ground. As I get ready for the exam, I could practically feel everyone's eyes on me. Some I have to say were more discreet about it than others, because some just didn't care and they chose to stare at me outright. Especially the person sitting in front of me. He sat there facing me with his mouth wide open as if I was merely a creature from myths and not an actual person. Finally, I had enough, and I began snapping my fingers in front of his face trying to get his attention. It took a minute, but he finally realized what I was trying to do.

"Yeah, hi hello, yes." He stuttered.

"Just wanted to let you know that your mouth was hanging open." I whispered to him as gently as I could, "Actually, you're still gaping at me."

"Sorry, but can I ask you a question?" He asked as he tried to hide the excitement in his voice.

"Sure."

"Are you Star Ray from the Avengers?" I gave him a small smile, and in my normal voice, I replied with a yes. All of a sudden the whole classroom erupted into whispers. I wasn't too surprised by their reactions to my presence here. I mean, how many "superheroes" do you know sitting in your classroom getting ready to take a test. It's not a common sight, and it would do me no good to be rude about it either. Sure I didn't like the staring, but it's to be expected. It's like being in line with a celebrity, of course, you're going to stare at them. You only see them in movies, or interviews not standing right in front of you. I'm just glad no one is freaking out right now because I'm not too sure how I'm supposed to handle that.

Finally, we heard a slamming sound at the front of the room. At the front of the class stood a middle-aged white woman with wrinkles around her eyes, and a permanent frown on her face. She wore a white button-up shirt with black pants and a black jacket. Her hair was put up in a tight bun, and she wore glasses that reminded me of a librarian. The only makeup she had on was a bright red lipstick. She stood behind the teachers desk with our exams piled high in front of here. She looked around the room before saying, "Quiet down this is an exam, not a social gathering to gossip about the latest events in your sad little lives."

She moved to stand in front of the desk before she started speaking again in a harsh tone. "Today you will be taking the exam which will determine if you qualify to enter the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Operations. This exam has three parts with subcategories in each of them. Approximately 2 hours is allotted for the first two exam segments and 45 minutes are given for the skills portion otherwise known as the hands-on portion of the exam. For the skills test, you will all be individually called out of this room to perform any set of skills we ask you to do. You will go in order by your last names, and given that there are 50 of you in here today it will take some time. There are 9 other proctors here today that will assist me so 10 of you will be called on at a time. After each part or phase of the exam, once everyone is done, you will be given a five-minute break, and when you finish with your skills test you may leave. Your 5-minute breaks should be used carefully since there are no bathroom or snack breaks during the exam. If you leave during the exam, you automatically fail, and there are no do-overs."

"You are allowed to have one #2 pencil and a water bottle **without **any wrapping on it. If I see anyone cheating, talking, eating, or rummaging through their bags I assure you they will be thrown out in seconds with no chance of setting their eyes on the Academy. Do I make myself clear?" She asked, and everyone in the room gave a yes ma'am in return. "Good, now I will warn you that this test is designed to wheedle out the weak from the strong. You must score with a minimum of 85 on the first two segments and a 100 on the final segment to enter the academy. If you score with even one point lower than what I just said, that means you still failed. Goodbye, go home, and don't come back. We do not have the time to coddle every failure that walks in through those doors. Let's begin."

The next couple of hours were hell for me. Between everyone staring at me during break time and this stupid exam, I was fed up. I thought the stares would stop the moment the exam started, but they only intensified. I also heard some of them talking about me a few times. A few of them were saying that it wasn't fair that I was here and others were wondering if I would even pass the exam at all. They kept mentioning how embarrassing it would be if I failed or how I'm cheating because I'm a superhero, so of course, I'll pass regardless if I get a good grade or not. No one attempted to speak to me since this morning, either they were too nervous or too upset to come near me. I didn't mind of course because it gave me more time to focus on my exam.

Speaking about the exam three people were kicked out, and one just got up and left, it was crazy! Ten minutes into the test and this kid gets up and leaves the classroom with his stuff. The Proctor doesn't even blink an eye as she collects his exam papers. Then the next two people got thrown out at the 30 min mark for cheating and the last one… well, I have no clue what happened to her, but she was sent out of the classroom in tears. I mean it was bad, just terrible. Although I was only slightly better than them.

I started getting so nervous during the exam by the end of the first segment, I nearly tore my hair off. Oddly enough during the second portion of the exam that dealt with scenarios, I was a bit calmer. I guess because I already had my fair share of traumatic events that I knew exactly what to do in some situations, or I at least knew what type of mind frame I needed to be in to make plans. I was actually the first one finished with that part of the exam, and I felt reasonably confident about it.

Now, however, I was about ready to call it quits. It was finally my turn for the skills portion of the exam, and I had the same proctor from my first exam. I was escorted into a room that reminded me of the Hunger Games, where the tributes went to show off their skills to the game makers. I was only instructed to stand there until my proctor indicated that I could start. I'm not sure when that will happen considering she hasn't looked up from her clipboard once since I arrived, but I guess I can't complain. Even if it was increasing my anxiety…

"Alright, Miss Rodriguez." She said, finally looking up at me, "I am aware of your current situation, but do not think for even one second that it will somehow give you an automatic pass on the exams. I don't care that you have battled an alien invasion, stopped a bomb, or some mutated freak. I have little care that you are an Avenger or the youngest one at that. If anything that means you have no room for mistakes and you should be better than everyone else here. If you aren't, then I will be deeply disappointed."

"Then you do care," I stated calmly. I don't know what possessed me to antagonize this woman, but I need to stop before she fails me.

"Excuse me?" she inquired, and I must really want a death sentence because I didn't even hesitate to speak up again.

"You said and I quote 'do not care that you have battled an alien invasion, stopped a bomb, or some mutated freak. I have little care that you are an Avenger or the youngest one at that.' but one second later you put even more pressure on me because I am an Avenger and I did all of those things. In the end, you do care about it." I explained.

"Are you talking back to me, Miss Rodriguez?"

"Yes… I kind of have to since you wanted me to elaborate on what I meant earlier." I responded, "Am I being a bit of a smart mouth? Maybe but that wasn't my intention."

"Then what was your intention?"

"To make sure you treat me the exact same way you treat anyone else." I clarify before I continue, "I'm no different from any other person here today. I might pass, I might not. I'm trying to get into school and make something of myself with the little preparation I gave myself. I'm not here to be treated above or below the people. I'm on the same level they're at."

There was a moment of silence as the woman in front of me scrutinized me before she made a note on her clipboard. Crap I just failed didn't I? Clint is going to get mad at me…. I promised to behave too. I never used to be this brave before I don't know what's wrong with me. At least I'm keeping the panic off of my face, so that's a plus I think.

It has been one week since the exams, and I'm finally getting the results today. I've been going crazy ever since I took the exam. The only good thing is that Clint still doesn't know about my little outburst, but he'll find out soon enough once he figures out that I failed. I hope I pass this stupid exam.

It was around 3 in the afternoon, so that meant the mailman has most likely passed through. I decide it's time to face the moment of truth as I get ready to leave my apartment. I have a P.O. box instead of a normal mailbox since I live in an apartment complex and not a house. Although it has been a dream of mine to have a mailbox of my own one day. I know it's a stupid dream, but I just like the thought that maybe one day I'll have one too.

I finally arrived at the local post office, and I went straight to my P.O. box. I open it up, and I see a large envelope inside. I grab it without even opening it, lock the box, and start my treck back home. It doesn't take long, and soon I'm back at my apartment. I walk inside and go straight into my room to sit down on my bed. I hold the letter in my lap as if that would make the whole situation better, but in reality, it's doing the exact opposite.

"Whatever…" I open the envelope, and I pull out a huge stack of papers. Ignoring the front page which told me nothing important I turn to the second page…. I dump the stack of papers on the bed and I pull out my phone. I click a name and put it up to my ear and wait.

"Hey kid, what's up."

"I passed!"

* * *

Hey guys, I hope y'all liked the new chapter. I wanted to give all of you a sneak peak into my next chapter and whats to follow. Clint, Natasha, and maybe Steve will appear in the next chapter. Also the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will make an appearance in at least one chapter. That's it for now bye guys!


	15. Ch 15: Welcome to the Coffee shop

Hey, guys, I'm back with a new chapter! Like always I don't own Marvel, sadly. I only own my OC's.

* * *

It's been a month since I started attending the Academy of Operations, and I have to say I'm exhausted. I've barely had a moment to adjust to my new lifestyle before getting tossed into some sort of test. Fury wasn't joking when he said the academy was strict. Plus I had more pressure thrown on top of me just for being an Avenger. Speaking about the Avengers I haven't seen a single one of them since who knows how long. The one exception being Clint since he's my SO. He comes to the academy every so often to keep me company and to check up on how I'm doing. Thanks to him, I'm not alone anymore.

Oh, did you think just because I started school that meant I was no longer alone? It's the complete opposite actually. I'm more alone now than I've ever been before. The only time that could beat this is when I was in prison. At least out here, I have some type of freedom. I'm allowed to use my small amount of free time that I have in whatever way I want. I usually just sit around and read a book or go flying. If I ever want to talk to someone, I usually call Clint. He's the only friend I have here, but it's not like I haven't tried making new friends. The problem is that making friends isn't easy for me, especially when everyone is only interested in meeting Star Ray and not Calliope.

People stare at me or whisper behind my back about how I don't belong here. I liked it better when I was just some nobody rather than a celebrity, but I guess I have to get used to it. Clint keeps telling me that soon everything will die down and I'll blend right in. I can only hope that he's right. Until then, I guess I'll just have to give all of my attention to my studies. Plus my schedule isn't too bad.

MWF

7:00-8:20 Morning workout-

Running around the track twice, 70 jumping jacks, 2 sets of 60 reps- crunches, 2 sets of 50 reps- push-ups, 2 sets of 60 reps- lunges, 2 sets of 60 reps- pull-ups, 2 sets of 60 reps- squats, etc.

9:00-9:50 Weapons training

10:00-11:50 World studies and cultural backgrounds

1:00-2:20 Power control (strictly for me)- Can include radiation, strength, flight control

2:30-3:50 Combat practice (no one likes pairing up with me)

4:00-4:50 Survival situations (...)

Friday's only

Test at the Triskelion at 6:00

Tuesdays and Thursdays are not any better, but at least I don't have a lot of homework. Okay so that's a lie too, but there is a bright side to all of this. I get to drink Starbucks every day, and that was the original goal. Clint says it's not healthy to drink Starbucks every day, but I beg to differ. If it makes me happy, I feel like that should be considered healthy. If not, then what was the point to all of this? It's not like I have anything better to do with my time. Speaking of time, I should stop wasting it and head to the Triskelion before I'm late. It is Friday after all that means it's test time for me and me alone. I gather all of the things that I'll need for this weekend and leave my dorm.

As I head to the Triskelion, I remember what Clint had told me earlier this week. He said that he won't arrive until Saturday, which means my test will once again be supervised by Miss Edwards. I don't know how I feel about her honestly. It's not that I have a problem with her, it's more like I don't know what to make of her. She's kind of strange, and mysterious but in a good way, I guess. She isn't rude, and she doesn't bother me by breathing down my neck like other agents tend to do around me. Plus she doesn't add pressure on to me as my instructors do. Basically, I like her as a person, but that doesn't mean we're friends or anything like that. If anything I can at least tolerate her presence near me during my weekend test and check-ins.

When I touch down in front of the Triskelion, the first thing I did was check my watch. It's 5:45 so that gives me more than enough time to get ready for the test. You see on Fridays, I have my written portion of the test and Saturday mornings I have my hands-on test. As I walk inside, I flash my ID at the front desk and head straight to the elevator. Once inside I pushed the button for the fourth floor and I wait for the doors to close. I look down and notice my shoe untied, so I bend down to retie it. I heard someone enter the elevator, but I didn't pay any attention to them. I stood up at the same time the doors began to close in front of me, and through the reflection, I finally notice who stood beside me. It was Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow.

"Hey Rodriguez, long time no see." She said with a smirk dancing on her features.

"Romanoff… hey..." I trailed off a bit awkwardly. I've never really spoken to her one on one before, so this was a bit new to me. I don't really know what to do or what I should say to her.

"So are you here for your weekend test?"

"Yup... I'm guessing Clint told you?"

"Pretty much." She said, looking over at me. "By the way, I wanted to know if you would like to go and grab something to eat with me after your test?"

"Um sure," I said as I heard a ding letting me know I've reached my destination. "I'll see you after the test. It shouldn't take too long."

"See you then, Rodriguez."

After waving goodbye, I resumed my journey to the empty room that was used to test me whenever I came to the Triskelion. Once inside I made myself comfortable as I waited for Miss Edwards to arrive. While I waited, I began to wonder why Romanoff invited me to go out for dinner. We aren't friends. If anything, we were simply teammates that worked together during high-risk situations. Before today we never spoke to each other on civil terms, but that's not to say we're enemies. We just never bothered to get to know one another before. Still, she did try to help me when she found out I was going back to prison. I just don't know.

"Calliope?" I heard a familiar voice say. I look up and notice Edwards looking down at me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry I was just lost in thought," I explained. I didn't even notice when she came into the room or the fact she was trying to gain my attention.

"Well, you might want to focus on the topic at hand." She said as she got my test packet out for me. "Are you ready for this weeks test?"

"Yeah, I had an easy week actually so it shouldn't be too hard in my opinion," I told her.

"Good I expect to see a 100 then."

After forty-five minutes of scribbling answers on a sheet of paper, I was finally done. I handed in my test and answer sheet to Edwards before waving goodbye. I never stay too long after I take my weekly test. As soon as I'm done, I usually head straight home, but not today. Now that I think about it, how am I supposed to meet up with Romanoff for dinner?

When I reached the first floor, I could see Romanoff standing in the middle of a semi-crowded lobby looking in my direction. I make my way towards her slowly. I was still nervous about going out with her to dinner, but since she is a friend of Clint, I guess I can be on civil terms with her too. Once I reached her, she told me about a restaurant not too far from here, and together we head out.

Once we get to our destination, we find a table near the back to sit at. Natasha opts for the seat looking towards the exit with the wall to her back. I sit in front of her, but I don't like the fact that I can't see what's behind me. It comes with years of always being on the lookout for trouble. I guess that's why she chose to sit in that seat. She is a spy, and that's a dangerous profession. I suppose choosing where you sit matters.

We don't talk as we look through our menus. Not even when our waitress arrives do we speak to each other. Instead, we wait until we're alone and we're sure that no one will interrupt us. When I finally received my drink, and I'm sure that the waitress is gone for good do I finally speak to Natasha.

"I have to say I'm a bit surprised."

"Why's that?" She asked me before taking a sip out of her drink.

"Well, you never tried getting in touch with me before." I point out to her.

"Suspicious?"

"Can you blame me?"

"No, if anything it makes you smart." She tells me before leaning closer. "Trust me when I say you're gonna need it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what that means Rodriguez." She tells me as she leaned back in her seat and relaxes. "But that's not the reason I invited you to dinner."

"Then what is?"

"Clint," She answered. Now confused by the direction the conversation was heading, I paused. What does she mean? What does Clint have to do with any of this?

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what Clint has to do with any of this."

"Let's just say that I'm concerned."

"About what?" I asked her because I couldn't think of one thing that would concern her. Before she answers me, she gives me a little smile that screams beware. Her smile is more like an animal bearing their teeth at you.

"You haven't always proven yourself reliable." She explains to me, but her voice wasn't condescending. It was so odd. She was like a contradiction. Her face showed one thing, but her voice showed another.

"I admit in the past I've had my... faults, but I have tried to make up for them."

"Have you? Because what it seems to me is the complete opposite."

"Excuse me... I have done nothing but try and fix everything that I messed up on in the past."

"Some of us don't see it that way," the redhead stated. Finally, her smile fell from her face as she continued speaking to me. "Some of us see you as a threat. Someone who is taking advantage of their situation."

"And you think I'm using Clint?" I asked the red-head. "You're worried about him."

"I owe him a debt," was all she told me.

"Which you have already repaid in full considering the lengths you went through for him during the battle of New York," I pointed out to her. She said nothing but the look she gave me was a cold one. At this point, I'm not sure where I stand with Romanoff, but I'm willing to bet it's not good.

After that, neither one of us spoke for a while. When our food came, we ate in silence. It wasn't until after our meal that Romanoff finally started talking again.

"If you hurt him again or put him in any danger I will come for you." She said softly so that no one could hear her, but I could feel every once of her threat bearing down on me. I didn't let it show on my face as I looked her in the eye and leaned in closer.

"If you ever threaten me again, I will kill you," I stated before getting up and leaving her at the table. I went to the cashier and paid for our meals before leaving.

As I walked home, I couldn't help but feel so alone. I had hoped that maybe Agent Romanoff wanted to try and be my friend. But that wasn't the case. She just wanted to threaten me like most people in my life already had. I didn't blame her, and a part of me understood why she did that. Still, I had hoped for better.

I don't know why I feel so disappointed. I should have known better honestly. Yet, I still feel sad about what just happened. Hopefully, Clint won't get too mad that I just threatened his best friend. I'll just have to wait and see.

By the time it was 8 am on Saturday, I was already at the Triskelion. I was waiting outside the exam room for Clint. Today I'm supposed to demonstrate my strength, endurance, and my hand-to-hand combat skills. If I don't pass, there's supposed to be some type of consequence, but I haven't failed yet, so I don't know what it is. As I'm waiting for Clint to come, I can't help but feel like I'm some sort of lab rat. Every week I get tested on something while everyone else gets to relax. I understand it's because I'm an Avenger, but I need a break too. I just want a chance to feel normal. But considering who I am, I guess that's too much to ask for.

"Calliope?"

"Huh?" When I look to my left, it was to find Clint looking at me. "Oh... hey Clint."

"Hey kid, is everything okay?"

"Yeah just lost in thought."

"Alright," Clint said before coming in closer to whisper something to me. "Look, there's been a change in plans."

"Umm... okay. What's the change?" it must have been something big because Clint looked nervous.

"Normally it would just be me and maybe Edwards giving you your exam, but..." Clint said, trailing off.

"But what?" I was beginning to dread what Clint might say next.

"This week we are going to have some company."

"Company? Like who?" I ask him.

"The director and Hill's will be there."

"Well, if it's just them, I don't see a problem," I stated. If anything I'm surprised they haven't come earlier to see my progress, but I assumed they were busy.

"No, it's not just them," Clint informed me.

"Okay, Clint stop skirting around it and just tell me what's going on," I said a bit irritably. "What are you holding back? Just go on and say it so we can go already."

"Alright, Furry has invited a couple of scientists to come and watch you perform."

"What, are you kidding me?" I asked him because now I can understand why Clint looked so nervous earlier. I hate scientists and doctors. After the whole ordeal that I went through in my childhood, it's understandable. Plus, what does he mean perform? I'm not some type of experiment or lab animal who is trying to impress my creator. I'm a normal person. Well, sort of normal... look I'm human case closed.

"Look I don't like it either kid, but the decision has been made."

"So it doesn't matter that I feel like a lab rat, huh? No, I thought so." I was so frustrated because it's not like I could say no. After a minute of trying to collect myself, Clint finally walked me inside the exam room. Edwards was already there waiting for us. Behind her protected by a reinforced window stood Furry and everyone he had invited. I was still pissed off by the fact that he did this without even asking me.

As we approached Edwards, I finally noticed someone standing right behind her. The man, in general, looked like a snake. He definitely set off a couple of red flags with that creepy smile he directed to me. I looked back to Edwards, and I notice she was mouthing out the word sorry to me. I guess she didn't like this either, but before I could ask her, the man beside her started speaking.

"Star Ray it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He smiled, showing his yellow teeth to me. He extended his hand, and I grudgingly shook it. "Now, I'm sure that agent Barton has already warned you about what we are about to do so let's just jump right in."

Before the man could touch me, I took a step back and raised one arm in front of me as a warning sign. "I'm sorry, but there seems to have been a misunderstanding. I was told that y'all are here to observe me not touch me."

"That's because I didn't tell Barton the exact scope of today's exam," Fury announced from behind the glass.

I turned to face him already irritated with the situation. "I'm sorry but what made you think that this was okay?"

"The fact that you are working with S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury commented, "I told you that we were going to push you harder than everyone else."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can treat me like some sort of lab rat."

"That's not what we're doing. We just need to know your limits, that's all. You are by far the strongest S.H.I.E.L.D. agent we have ever had. So we need to know what situation we can throw at you."

"Really because it also seems like you want to know my weaknesses so you can eliminate me if need be."

"That's not true."

"Really, because before the battle of New York Agent Romanoff made it quite clear that S.H.I.E.L.D. watched everyone. I don't know about you, but I can read between the lines, Fury."

I heard Fury let out a sigh of discontent as he dropped his head. I can tell he was getting frustrated, but it's not like I'm trying to be obstinate. I'm just very touchy when it comes to doctors and scientist alike. I let out a groan before turning to face the doctor from before.

"What exactly do I have to do?" I asked. The doctor let loose another creepy smile as he realized that I was willing to continue with today's test.

"All you have to do my dear is allow me to place these patches on your body. These patches are connected with our monitors, that way we can take notes on your vital signs."

"Sounds simple enough," I say as I allow the man to place the patches on me. After everything was set up, I was allowed to continue with the exam with only a few minor changes. During today's test, I also had to show my control over radiation, healing factor, and something else that they haven't told me about yet.

As I went through the exam, I felt less like a person and more like a test subject. It was like I was back at the underground facility again. I did my best to ignore the feeling, but I guess Clint could still recognize my discomfort with the situation. He tried to give me a break, but the gallery had a different idea. They wanted me to continue without any breaks. They said it would help them better understand my level of endurance. I went along with it.

I was almost done with the test, all I had left was to demonstrate my healing factor. Clint and Edwards weren't comfortable with the idea of me getting hurt. I was actually surprised that Edwards cared that much about me. Clint, I could understand, he hated seeing me go through any type of pain. So it's easy to say that the majority of the protest came from them when the time came, and it was up to me to calm them down. It took me some time, but I had finally managed it, and let me tell you it was no easy feat either.

A few minutes later, I was listening to the lead scientist direction's. He and two other scientists, who were wearing hazmat suits, were the only ones allowed in the room, everyone else was standing on the other side of the mirror. It was for everyone's safety.

"The only thing we need you to do is injure yourself in 5 different ways. We will tell you in what way and you are not allowed to recollect your own blood. Furthermore-"

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean I can't collect my own blood?" I ask him as an ounce of dread begins to creep back in me.

"I am well aware that you can reabsorb the blood you have lost during a battle. Which is a good thing in most cases, since your blood has a high level of radiation and would kill any normal creature, but we need you to bleed. We wish to take a closer look at the properties in your chemical make-up."

"No."

"No? My dear-"

"No, this is wrong!" I added, "You want to take my DNA and experiment on it. I don't trust anyone with that knowledge, let alone some sketchy scientist like you!"

The look the scientist gave me was one of pure anger. That someone like me, a test subject, would defy him. Still, I will stand my ground against him and anyone else. I know I'm a monster and that I don't deserve the trust of most people, but that doesn't mean I will allow myself to be used or disrespected. No one in this world should ever have my DNA, and I'm glad to know that apparently, S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't. I always feared that they may have gotten some of it through one of my past encounters with them, but this moment proves to me that they don't. Now that I know this, I have to be more careful than ever before. I'll work with them, but I refuse to give them any more ammunition.

"Rodriguez," Fury started to say. "You made a vow to work with this agency. Now for the safety of those around you and yourself, I ask you to allow Dr. Boris to continue with the procedure."

I didn't say anything for a while as I gave what Fury just said some thought. Would this be insubordination? Would I be going against my vow? No, I think not. I would be fulfilling it by never allowing anyone to have so much as a drop of my blood. True, I am a dangerous person, and there is so much about myself I wish to understand. Still, I would never allow myself to become a factor in some other unfortunate creatures torture. I will not allow anyone to go through what I had to suffer. I don't care if I seem overdramatic or unreasonable. At the end of the day, I may not be perfect, but at least I know I made the right call.

So without saying another word I left. I didn't run out. No, I gracefully flew out of the room. To anyone else who wasn't paying much attention, I made it seem as if I was gliding through the room with grace and dignity. Because this wasn't me running away from a problem that I didn't know the answer to. No, this was me making a stand in my own way.

I made sure that my pace was slightly faster than a walk so that Clint and Edwards couldn't catch up to me so easily. The last thing I needed was a talk. What I needed and what I wanted was to getaway.

It seems as if the world can't give me a break because as I rounded a corner to my right, I automatically bump into someone. I was a bit surprised because people usually move out of my way when they see me coming, but I guess this person didn't see me in time. Another shocker was that this man was quite sturdy and was able to force me back a bit. But when I looked back up to see who I had bumped into, it was to find Steve standing before me.

"Steve, hey I'm so-"

"Hush," and before I knew it, the older man grabbed me gently by the arm and escorted me into a nearby empty room. He closed the door behind us and kept the room dark. He moved to one side of the door, and he kept me right next to him. I didn't say anything, mostly due to the shock of it all. I was right about to say something when I heard something out in the hall.

"Hey Nat, have you seen Calliope?"

"No, have you seen Rogers?"

"No."

"The last person I spoke to told me he was heading in this direction."

"Yeah, Myers told me he saw the kid fly this way a second ago."

There was only one second for me to respond to what I had just heard Clint say. One second for me to understand what was going to happen next and how I should handle it. I just hope Steve doesn't freak out.

As quickly and quietly possible, I grabbed Steve around the waist and raised both of us to the ceiling just as Romanoff swung the door open. When she turned the lights on and entered the room to search for us, I did my best to stay out of her line of sight. Steve thankfully didn't freak out and instead was helping. He would further direct me in which direction I should go next. I'm just glad Clint decided not to come inside, or we would have been caught instantly. They didn't call him Hawkeye for nothing.

After a couple of minutes, Romanoff gave up and left the room, and we resumed our previous hiding spots. Neither one of us made a sound since we knew the red-head was still outside. Sure enough a few seconds later, we could hear her talking again.

"I'm assuming since you're coming to me empty-handed that means you couldn't find them either."

"No, I checked top to bottom, and I couldn't find them."

"Top to bottom. Clint don't exaggerate," I heard the red-head say irritably.

"Nat, I'm not. Remember Calliope can fly. She hides on the ceiling since most people tend not to look there." there was a small pause after that statement. Darn you, Clint. "You didn't check the ceiling, did you, Nat?

I looked around the room trying to find an escape when Steve pointed at the corner of the room, where a door stood. Making sure not to give the captain whiplash I raced us across the room. Just as we closed the door behind us the other one opened. Not leaving anything to chance we quickly left the room we were currently hiding in and rushed into the hallway. Luckily no one was there to see us exit the room.

We calmly made our way to the nearest elevator and Steve was quick to push in a floor. As the elevator door closed in front of us, and the adrenaline from our "escape" finally wore off, I realized what I had done.

"I just kidnapped Captain America," I whispered. Honestly, the situation happened so fast that I just jumped right into it without any questions. That's no bueno.

"Technically," the man beside me begins to say. "I kidnapped you, and you were just kind enough to help me."

My head snapped towards Steve, and the sheepish look he was giving me. I automatically start to laugh because if this isn't the most ridiculous thing that has ever happened to me, I don't know what is. It took only a few seconds for him to laugh along with me. Once I was done laughing, I took a moment to compose myself so that I could finally speak to the older man.

"So, do you want to explain what just happened?" I asked him right as the elevator doors opened.

"Mind if we walk and talk?" he asked me. To answer his question, I took a few steps out of the elevator and waited for him to catch up. Once he did, he led the way through the halls. I have no idea where we were going, but I didn't mind. For some reason, I was calm as if there was no reason to fear about the world around me. Odd.

"Well to answer your question I was trying to get away from Romanoff," he explained to me. I let out a snort when I heard that because who would have thought that Steve would run away from someone like Romanoff.

"Well that much was obvious, but my question is, why were you running from her?"

"Romanoff likes to... push buttons..."

"In what way?"

"She likes to interfere with my personal life. I'm not sure why, but she does." Steve tells me without giving me any more details. Yet, by the look on his face, I could recognize something was off.

"She's not the only one is she?" I ask him quietly. He looks at me for a second, but I continue to look ahead.

"No, she's not," He quietly answers. "I guess there are a good handful of people who are..."

"Insensitive, nosy, and who believe that thinking about one's past and reminiscing about it is a waste of time." I finish for him. He stops walking and looks at me questioningly. I stop as well, wondering why he halted.

"How much do you know? Has Ramonoff talked to you about this?" he asked me. I wasn't upset that Steve thought I was talking about him behind his back, and if anything, it reminded me of myself.

"No," I replied. "I'm only speaking from experience."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just-"

"Chill Steve, there's no need to apologize to me. I'm not offended, I promise." I smiled.

He returned my smile with one of his own, albeit a bit smaller. As we continued walking, he explained to me how earlier today he was finishing a few mission details when Black Widow showed up. Things kind of went downhill from there with other agents finding him and asking insensitive questions about his personal life. This had been going on for weeks apparently. People would treat him as if he was a complete moron, or ask a question that was none of their business. At least I scare off most people, so no one bothers me. Steve doesn't have the same ability. Sure he might intimidate a few people, but he's really the definition of the boy next door. So I'm not too surprised that he gets approached a lot more than I do, and that people would ask him these questions. Still, I feel bad that he has to go through it.

"So your daring escape was a result of needing to get away from everyone?"

"Yes, although I'm sorry I dragged you down with me," he said with a slight blush dusting his face. He must be embarrassed that a fellow Avenger had to help him "escape" from his own problems.

"Actually, you were helping me get away from a rather uncomfortable and irritating situation of my own," I explained to him. "So if anything, thank you."

"You're welcome," He tells me, and we lapsed into a comfortable silence. We stayed like that until we reached the locker room for the men. Steve turned to face me, but he looked nervous for some reason. "Do you want to continue this kidnapping for a while longer? I know a place 20 minutes from here that's pretty nice."

"Wow, you are by far the nicest kidnapper I have ever had the pleasure of meeting," I smiled. "Sure, okay, but I'm surprised you would want to hang out with me."

"Why's that?"

"Most people just tend to stay away from me, that's all."

"Well from the few conversations we've had you are by far the most pleasant person I've spoken to since waking up."

"Oh so that bad, huh?" I asked him. He let out a chuckle before telling me that he meant it as a compliment. That he thought I was an interesting person to chat with. "Well, with an answer like that, how can I say no."

Within ten minutes, we were heading down to the garage. Unlike Steve, who had to change out of his new stealth suit, I was already in regular work out clothes. I was wearing a black v-neck long sleeve shirt with black yoga pants and white sneakers. My wild black hair was up in a ponytail and a black baseball hat to cover my face. I also had my sunglasses in hand to cover up my eyes just in case.

What I found amusing is that while I was in all black, Steve was wearing old school clothes. I guess he still wasn't used to the new styles people wore now in days. He was wearing a brown leather jacket with a plaid shirt underneath it and some khakis. He still looked charming.

We were currently on the elevator when another agent joined us. Steve and I stayed next to each other, not looking at the other man beside us, but it was clear that the agent wanted to speak to us. Now I have nothing against fans. My problem is when someone starts being rude, and it seemed as if the world was asking me to spit out venom at this person. The reason I say this is because, within seconds, this man starts asking questions. None of them were for me, only Steve, and now I understand why he wanted to leave.

"Sir, what was it like waking up from the ice?"

"Sir, do you ever wish you were back home?"

"Sir, do you even understand what's going on in the world since you woke up?"

To ask Steve these types of questions, was incredibly rude. Of course, he wants to go home. No, he's not dumb, he understands the world around him. All he needed was to catch up, and that's no easy feat. And that first question is basically a culture shock for him. He was ripped from his life and place in a different time. That's enough to crush anyone. I still didn't understand how Steve was answering this guy... wait a minute.

Steve was facing forward, which should have tipped me off that something was wrong. I have never seen Steve face in any other direction when someone was talking to him unless he was walking. Second, was the fact that Steve's jaw was clenched which could mean, he's uncomfortable with the situation he's in. Lastly, his sentences were short. I mean, really short.

"Sir, did you lose anyone that you loved by coming to the future? Like a special lady?"

In a few simple strides, I was standing in front of the boy. He seems young, so he must have recently graduated from the Academy. I was quick to notice a ring on his finger that revealed to me he is from the science division from the academy. It had the logo and a flask on it. I also noticed that scientists like to ask questions, but they aren't careful about the way they ask their questions.

"I think that's enough questions," I told him.

"Oh sorry, Miss... are you Star Ray?" he asked me in excitement. That's good because it means he'll stop asking Steve questions.

"Yes."

"Where's your uniform and why are you dressed in black?"

Without hesitating, I answered, "Going to a funeral."

"Who's?"

"I haven't decided yet," I smiled. All the color from his face vanished in an instant. His face screamed fear as he began to panic when my eyes started to glow. Just then the elevator dinged and without bumping into us, he ran out. Smiling in triumph, I turn around and leaned against the elevator.

"You do that often?" Steve asked me. I had forgotten that he was standing next to me for a second. When I looked at him to examine if he was mad at me or not, I noticed a smile on his face.

"Only when I have to," I answered. "What? Was it too much?"

"No, it was kind of funny just don't tell anyone I said that."

"Oh, why not?" I asked him as we finally exited the elevator. "Do you have an image to keep?"

"More like it's hard to pull a fast one on someone when they already know my tricks," Steve smirked at me. Huh, so the goody two shoes isn't so good after all. I approve.

When we entered the garage I noticed Clint's car still parked. Which meant he was most likely still searching for me. The good thing is that I left my phone at home. I'm still getting used to having one, so I forgot to bring it today.

"You have ridden on a motorcycle before, right?" Steve asked me. It wasn't until that moment that I realized I was standing right in front of one.

"Uh, no, can't say that I have."

"Alright," Steve said, taking out a helmet and handing it to me. The look on my face was enough for him to roll his eyes and smile down at me. "I know you can heal and that you're more durable than me. This is mainly to keep up with pretense."

"So you're gonna put one on too, right?" I asked him and the look on his face told me that was not the plan. In the end, he agreed to put one on just to be fair. Apparently, the man never wears a helmet unless he's in his full Captain America outfit. Even then, he has the habit of taking it off during a fight.

Before we took off, he quickly explained to me how to ride a motorcycle. Basically the do's and don'ts. After that was taken care of we were off. I chose to hold onto Steve so I wouldn't fall off. I doubt I would get hurt, but I really didn't want to ruin a perfectly good outfit. As we rode through the city, I was able to relax. Being inside of S.H.I.E.L.D. always made me anxious. Like any second, someone was going to attack me, but out here with Steve, I was able to breathe. Well not really breathe since I don't have the ability to breathe but you know what I mean.

Like Steve said after 20 minutes of riding, we arrived at the... it looks like a coffee shop. I got off the bike and waited for Steve to hand me my hat and sunglasses. He had put them in a compartment so I wouldn't have to hold them during the ride over here. Once I quickly made the trade-off, we were good to go.

Inside the shop, it was quaint but charming. I followed Steve to the back of the coffee shop. He chose the perfect seats for us. Neither one of us had our backs to the entrance, and we could see everyone, but it was difficult for them to see us.

Soon a nice girl who seemed to be a highschooler came to us and asked for our orders. We both ordered a couple of sandwiches seeing that we were both starving. High metabolism kind of does that to you. Steve got a black coffee, and I got a caramel frappuccino. Once the girl left, I started talking.

"I'm guessing this is a usual spot for you?"

"That obvious, huh? Yeah, I come here a lot. It never gets too busy in here, so it's a nice place to come and relax."

"I guess that's hard to come by for you. A place to relax that is."

"I don't mind being around others," Steve started to say. "I just... don't know how to fit in with them. They expect someone else when they see me, and I can't do it."

"Hey, I'm not judging you. I mean look at who you're talking to," I said, pointing to myself. "I'm a hothead, and I'm very anti-social."

"Really I would have never guessed that. You seem very easy going and if anything maybe only guarded but that makes complete sense."

"Really? That's a first for me," I admitted.

"So does that mean you aren't talking to anyone in school. I remember you telling me that you were going to the Academy once you passed a test."

"Well-"

"Here are your orders," the waitress interrupted. As she handed us our food, I couldn't help but notice how the girl was giving her full attention to Steve. She was blushing so hard it was so sad. After the girl left and I took a couple of bites out of my sandwich, I started to speak again.

"As I was saying, no, I don't talk to anyone at school."

"I find it hard to believe that you couldn't make a single friend at school," the blond replied. "Your friendly, trustworthy, and brave."

"Many would disagree with you and say I'm terrifying, blunt, and selfish. It doesn't matter to me at the end of the day. If someone can't handle my personality, that's fine. I rather them admit it than have someone pretend to like me. I would hate to have a fake friend in my life, especially since I don't trust anyone."

"There's no one that you trust?"

I thought about the question Steve was asking me for a while as I ate. I trusted the Avengers in a fight. They've proven themselves trustworthy on that aspect alone. When it comes to everyday life, I don't trust anyone except Clint. He's been my support system for so long now. Even when I was in prison, he fought for me. After him, there wasn't anybody I could think of. Sure Edwards wants to help out, but for some reason, I can't shake the feeling somethings up. It's not a bad gut feeling, just one of uncertainty. When it comes to Steve, I have to admit I like him. Not romantically speaking, more like personality-wise. The way he has treated me in the past with the utmost respect and the trust that he has given me is astonishing. Still, when it comes down to trust in everyday life...

"I don't like to trust people," I explained. I didn't look at him as I spoke, instead, I kept my eyes on the coffee cup in front of me. "I trust the Avengers in a fight, but in everyday life... I only have Clint. It's hard to trust someone when you never know the moment they're going to switch sides. Clint proved to me that he's on my side, but no one else has. They're just in it for themselves."

"Not everyone is like that." Steve tries to tell me, but I only smile back at him as I look him in the eyes.

"Really, then who do you trust?" I asked him.

"You," Steve said as if it was something I should have known. When he said that it reminded me of our conversation back in the helicarrier and how he told me he wanted to trust me. He said that after I had told him not to trust anyone, but he refused to listen. I also remember my debate with myself whether I should follow him or not. I chose to follow him that day and not lose hope.

"Didn't I teach you not to trust anyone?" I joked, "You are a terrible student. Have you learned nothing?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I didn't learn anything," Steve answered back. "I did learn a lot that day, including that a certain hot-headed Latina is a very trustworthy person."

I didn't say anything after that because I didn't know how to respond. Once again Steve Rogers has left me speechless, and I don't know how to feel about that. Should I consider trusting him beyond a battlefield, or should I keep those two parts of my life separated? I can't exactly do that since I'm friends with Clint, but that doesn't mean I'm required to trust everyone with my life. Decisions, decisions all around me, and I can't make one.

"I understand."

"Huh?" I was so caught off guard by the sudden noise, I didn't know what to do.

"I understand that you don't trust others easily," Steve clarified. "But the fact that you're here and that you are trying to make the world a better place, only proves what I'm saying. You can be trusted."

"Let me ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"You're hard-headed, aren't you?"

"Takes one to know one," Steve muttered as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Well, I have to admit you're a pretty cool dude. I can trust you in a fight... and in kidnapping but I'm not sure where else. What I do know is this, you and I are pretty much in the same boat." I announced as I ate the last of my food.

"What does that mean?" Steve asked me as he polished off the last bit of food he had left.

"Neither one of us has much when it comes to friends. I mean I have Clint and maybe you have someone too, but it doesn't seem like we have a long list... but I do have a proposal."

"And what's your proposal?"

"If you ever need someone to kidnap you for an evening, I'll volunteer," I told him with a smile on my face. Steve let out another laugh when I told him this, and I'm glad. I don't get to goof off with anyone so to be able to joke around with another person is kind of fun.

"Does that mean we're friends?" he asked me.

"Pretty sure that's Stockholm syndrome. When you get attached to your captor, but sure we can be friends."

Steve rolled his eyes at the comment I made, but he still had a smile on his face. We talked a few more minutes afterward, but I knew I had to go home soon. Clint was probably worried about me (more like pissed off that I left), so I should probably head that way. I have to face him eventually.

Steve paid for lunch, and he wouldn't hear about splitting the check. I guess it's a habit from the '40s. He also offered to take me home, but I refused. Riding a motorcycle was nice, but it doesn't beat flying.

Before I left, Steve did give me his number. He said if I ever wanted to talk to someone to go ahead and give him a call. After that, we said our goodbyes and I went home. It didn't take me long but I did get an earful from Clint and Edwards when I arrived.

They were concerned that something might have happened to me. I told them the... truth. They didn't believe me at first when I said, Captain America kidnapped me. Clint told me he figured since Steve went missing around the same time that I did, that I probably convinced him to help me out. Edwards said that she had thought I took the poor man as my hostage. Can't really blame her because that did sound more convincing than the truth. Nevertheless, they did believe me in the end. They both know that I don't resort to lying... plus they said it would have been a horrible lie to begin with, so they have to believe me.

Later on, they told me that I wasn't in trouble for walking out. I had passed my test, and I was good to go. Apparently, when Clint went looking for me, Edwards had stayed behind to speak on my behalf. She said something about the Hulk situation. That Banner wouldn't let the government take his blood, so he went on the run to escape them. They were going to weaponize the Hulk by using his blood. She said that I probably had the same thoughts going through my head and that acquiring my blood would mean losing me as an agent. No one wanted that so they agreed to leave me be... for the time being.

I was actually touched that Edwards tried her best to help me. Maybe I was wrong about her, and I should give her a chance. Seems like I'm doing that a lot lately. I just hope I don't regret it in the end.

* * *

So, before I get any messages with questions I want to make it clear that Steve and Calliope were not on a date. I want both of them to have someone they can talk to about personal stuff. Someone who might understand the other. Remember Calliope is 17 right now so she is off-limits. Also, she is still in love with Christopher, who you will all read about in the up coming chapters. Now does that mean she will always stay single... no of course not. I have a lot in store for this character, so just bear with me. Well, until next time, bye guys!


	16. Ch 16: please come back

Hey, I'm back! Yeah... I'm sorry that I'm late, but in my defense college is hard. Anyways so I thought it would be a good idea to release a new chapter, and yes I know it's short. I'll have a long one next time for sure, I promise.

Like always I don't own Marvel.

* * *

_"Hey, whatcha thinking about?" a gentle whisper asked me from behind._

_"How the future will be like," I replied. I was currently laying on my side, trying to enjoy one of my few days off. I've been working non-stop recently so of course on my one day off I would still wake up early. "I wonder if we're always going to be together like this, just us."_

_"You realize that you worry too much right?" he pointed out as he put an arm over me to pull me in close against his chest. I turned around to face him with a small frown on my face._

_"Yeah, but that's because you don't worry enough."_

_"Hey, I'm worried about you right now. That has to count for something."_

_The frown on my face only deepened, so he fixed it with a soft and gentle kiss. When he pulled away, he gently kissed my forehead before saying, "Nothing is going to happen Cal. Trust me. Everything will be okay, so let's get some sleep."_

_"Okay."_

_"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!" _

_"Calm down before the landlord hears you," I snapped at him._

"_That's what you're worried about? THE LANDLORD?"_

_"Among other things, yes, I am worried that the landlord will hear us. I don't want her coming up here with complaints!"_

_"Her complaints are the last thing I'm worried about."_

_"That's your problem! You never care!"_

_"If I didn't care, I wouldn't be so angry right now!"_

_"Oh just let it go already."_

_"How can I when he suggested __**that**__!" He exclaimed. He looked so angry right now, but I needed him to calm down before things get out of control and he goes and picks a fight._

_"I... ugh I don't know," I said collapsing on the couch. "Look the last thing we need is to pick a fight with this man."_

_"Calliope, we didn't pick a fight with him, but he is starting one with us." _

_"Well if you would have stopped giving him attitude -"_

_"Really? After everything he said!" he yelled again throwing his hands in the air. There were a few beats of silence after that in which neither one of us spoke, and it held so much tension within it I wanted to scream. This argument has been going on for at least an hour now and I desperately wanted it to end, but he can't let it go. He can never let anything go._

_Finally, he spoke, "Look, he docked our pay for the third time this month, and twice last month. All I wanted to know was the reason behind him doing that. I know you said not to ask, but we_ _needed that money. Hell, we still do. Then he threatened to send child services on us... fine, I'll shut up. We don't need that kind of attention on us. So, to repay him for his __**kindness **__about not snitching on us, he docked our pay again. And then he said __**it**__..."_

_He looked so angry right now, and it scared me. If he goes and starts a fight, we could lose our jobs. I tried to say something, but he cuts me off again._

_"No, that man needs to pay for even suggesting it. I knew something was wrong with him, but I kept my mouth shut because we needed the money. That was then, and this is now."_

_"I know you're angry but if you could just calm down-"_

_"How can I when he said that the money is no longer enough, and now he wants you!" he screamed as grabbed me by the shoulders. "What kind of sick man goes after a fourteen-year-old girl, tell me."_

_"A bunch of terrible men live in this world you should know that by now!" I yelled, pushing him away from me and standing back up to face him. I didn't like the situation either, but there's not much we can do._

_"I'm going back there," he told me, but I grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to stay._

_"No, you aren't."_

_"Yes, I am, and I'm going to teach him a lesson."_

_"How? By knocking him out? Oh yeah, that's going to look normal. A fifteen-year-old lanky boy knocking out a grown man who looks like he can take out four guys. All you'll do is cause more trouble for us, so just stop and keep your mouth shut. The last thing we need is for people to ask questions!"_

_"At least I say something, you never do! Stand up for yourself, Calliope! Fight, argue, just do something, or this world is going to kill you and say that you enjoyed it."_

_"I have been fighting-"_

_"NO, you haven't. Leaving the facility, that was fighting. Getting us this home, finding someone who could fake documents, getting us a stable life now that was you persevering. Now you let this world walk all over you."_

_"We are only CHILDREN!" I screamed, "We can't fight this world when so many people would be against us, so of course I stay silent. To talk would mean I'm ready to face the consequences, and I'm not ready for that. Sometimes the bravest thing a person can do is suffer in silence to ensure the safety of their family."_

_"...you're gonna do it..." _

_"I... no... I don't know!" I cried, "I don't want to, but I don't know what to do. Unless we can shut this man up for good, then I don't know what we can do."_

_I buried my face in my hands. I was so worried and scared about how this could affect all of us. I don't care about myself, I just want to protect my family. So if the only way to help is to-_

_Suddenly I felt a pair of strong arms encircle me and bring me in close. It felt so warm. Like I was safe, and no one could touch me._

_"I won't let anyone ruin this for us, I promise. We'll find a way out of this that won't lead to anyone asking questions, bodily harm, or child-services. Trust me, Cal._

_"Okay."_

_"Are you sure it's a bomb?"_

_"Really?" I asked him, "It's a large device with a clock counting down! What do you think it is? A Smoothie machine."_

_"Thank you for your attitude and sarcasm. Even in high-risk situations, it never fails to show itself."_

_"Would you shut up and help me disarm it?" _

_"And how are we going to do that? Are you a genius because I know I'm not."_

_"It doesn't take a genius to disable __**this **__bomb." _

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"Christopher focus, tell me what you feel."_

_"Anxious, stressed, worried-"_

_"Not that you idiot! I mean, what do you __**feel**__?" I asked as I grabbed his hand and put it flat against the device. I said nothing for a while as he tried to grasp something within the machine, and within the next second, his eyes widen. He felt it._

_"That's radiation."_

_"Exactly, I felt something powerful when we entered, but I thought it was Aardwolf. When we came closer to the bomb, I felt that sensation grow. There is a vast amount of radiation within the bomb."_

_"So, is he going to Nuke the city?"_

_"If you were Aardwolf, would you want to nuke a city? Destroy your place of operation, or would you want everyone to become like you. The need to hide would no longer be an issue, and if people die, then that's enough of a distraction to get away with a whole lot of things. Mass panic."_

_"We need to leave."_

_"We can't evacuate the whole city, Christopher."_

_"No, but we can at least get Christina out of here."_

_"And leave the innocent to die?"_

_"Are they really that innocent Cal?"_

_"There are children here, Christopher. Do you expect me to leave them here to die? We can survive it but they can't. How many kids did we witness dying horrible deaths because of the radiation they were exposed to? We have to help them."_

_"Calliope, we only have a few minutes left. We can't save everyone. At the end of the day, someone is going to die, and I rather it be them than us."_

_I looked at the boy I have been in love with for so long, and when I see him, I'm reminded of the pain he has gone through. The pain that will always haunt us until the day we die, and I say, "I don't want anyone to suffer as we did, do you?"_

_"No... I don't."_

_"Then let me do this."_

_"DO WHAT? Cal, we don't know-"_

_"The radiation you idiot," I pointed out once again. "We can control it and fire it, but we can also absorb it."_

_I saw Christopher touch the bomb once again before pulling away. He said, "That's a lot of radiation. More than either one of us has ever absorbed."_

_"I know, but it's the only way. If we take the radiation away, then the bomb is essentially useless."_

_"True but if we aren't careful we could accidentally set off the bomb, and the explosion mixed with the radiation can still do some damage."_

_"Then you have to make a barrier of sorts."_

_"What?"_

_"Create a barrier around me and the bomb, that way if it goes off you can stop it and either try to absorb it or direct it upward and away from the city."_

_"You really are a genius aren't you Cal," he marveled as he grabbed me and pulled me in for a quick kiss. He held me in his arms, but something was wrong. He wasn't letting go._

_"I'm not dumb either Cal. Which is why I think it's weird you gave us the wrong jobs."_

_"Wh-"_

_"Calliope, between the two of us, I was always better at absorbing radiation. While you had the upper hand when it came to guiding radiation."_

_"I-" I held him close to me. Only a few minutes left. He needed to let me go._

_"You're trying to save me. If something goes wrong, you're trying to make sure I live, and you die."_

_"Is it so wrong that I want to save you?" I asked him as tears began to form in my eyes. "Let me save you."_

_"I can't."_

_"Why?"_

_"Is it so bad that I want to protect you, Cal?" _

_I shoved him away from me. I looked him in the eye as I said yes. Yes, it is bad because he doesn't deserve to be put at risk. I made the plan it was my job to make sure it worked. I told him all of this, and yet he still had the audacity to grab me once again. He held me close, with his hands on my face._

_"Cal, You need to take care of Christina," he reminded me. Darn him, he knew she was my weakness._

_"You say that as if you can't. I know you would help her no matter what happens to me. You love her."_

_"I do, and I love you too. But let's face it, Cal, she needs you, not me."_

_"But I can't lose you," I said as tears rolled down my eyes. _

_"You won't I promise, just trust me, Cal," he told me as he brought me in for a soft but short kiss._

_"Okay."_

_It's been months since I lost Christopher to his mutation. He's nothing more than an empty shell, and yet, here I am standing in front of his cell. To be honest, I don't know why I'm here. This is the first time I've seen him since that awful day. The day I lost everything I ever loved. _

_As I looked at the man I once loved, all I could do was think about all of the days we spent together... happy, sad, frustrated, but in love. I couldn't think of one point in my life that I wasn't in love with him, and now here he was in chains before me. He was so close, and yet I knew in my heart he wasn't __**there**__ anymore. He wasn't mine anymore._

_Tears fell from my eyes as I looked at him, but I refused to speak. I knew he couldn't understand me, so why am I here?_

_"...I miss you," I whispered without realizing it. "I miss your smile, your laugh, just you. I miss every part of you and the life we had together. You were always there for me, even when I didn't want you to be. You became an essential piece to my life that I don't know how to function without you."_

_I looked down at my hands, which were still in cuffs as my tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "Please... come back to me... please... you promised."_

* * *

Authors note: I realize that we have a long way to go in the story so I'm going to try and update more frequently. But on the bright side, the Science bro's will be appearing soon, so I'm exicted about that. Well until next time bye guys!


	17. Ch 17: The Notebook

Hey, I'm back with a new chapter and I hope all of you enjoy it! This chapter picks up where ch 15 left off on. Like always I don't own marvel only my OC's.

* * *

I woke up with tears streaming down my face and sorrow in my heart. This is why I hate dreaming because no matter how hard I try, my dreams are always filled with sad images of the past. I suppose that's the price I have to pay for the sins of my past. Over the years, I got used to dreaming about my past traumas. That doesn't mean it still doesn't hurt to relive those memories, but I at least found a way to move on. I just have to keep busy, which was kind of hard for me to do while I was in prison, but I found a way in the end.

Since I'm awake now, I might as well get up and start my day. It's Sunday after all, and that means it's my only day off. Clint told me he would be too busy to hang out with me today, so I'll just have to find some other way to fill my time. It was only 6:00 am so I wasn't too happy about that, but there was nothing I could do about it either. Once I wake up from a nightmare, I can never fall back to sleep. Instead, I went about my morning routine of getting ready for the day. I put on a simple outfit even though I knew I wasn't going anywhere. It was a white crop top with black pants and my new black converse. Clint made me get rid of my old ones, even though they were still semi-functional. What a waste of perfectly good shoes.

Once I was done, I left my bedroom, and I nearly had a heart attack. I never wanted to blast someone so hard in my life, until now. There he sat on my blue recliner, the infamous Nick Fury. What shocked me even more, was the fact that I didn't even hear him come in, but then again he is **the** spy. Instead of speaking to him, I went straight to my kitchen and made myself some breakfast, which consisted of my favorite cereal, Coco puffs. I didn't even bother offering the man any food. I mean, why would I when he entered my home without my permission. This is a common tactic S.H.I.E.L.D. agents used to make you feel uncomfortable in your own home. Your home is supposed to be the place you feel safest at, but if you no longer feel safe, then that gave them the advantage. They would be in control while you were scrambling in the dark for safety, but the thing is I never felt safe anywhere I went. So against people like me, this tactic never works because we are what they consider wild cards. Nothing really works on us.

Instead of saying anything, Fury finally joins me in the kitchen and sits right in front of me, but I continue to ignore him. I'm still mad about what happened yesterday. I mean really, how could he let them try and pull that little stunt on me. Take my blood? Ha, not even in their dreams.

"You do realize that you're this close to being let go from the program."

The moment he said those words, I froze because why in the world were they going to fire me. I made good grades, I passed all of my exams, even if I do struggle from time to time, and I at least get the job done. I don't understand what the problem is. Instead of freaking out, I did my best to keep my face as neutral as possible.

"And why is that?"

"Let's start with the fact that you threaten one of my best agents," He stated with a cold voice. I guess he wasn't happy about that, but then again, neither was I. Still, that wasn't the point.

"So, it was a test."

"It was, and you failed spectacularly," Fury informed me. "What possessed you to threaten one of my agents, who is, in fact, your teammate?"

"She gave me a threat, so I felt justified in giving her one of my own, or did you expect me to do nothing?"

"She gave you a warning, not a threat," Fury tried to reason with me, but it just sounded like a load of crap.

"You're a fool if you think that," I laughed at him. "Since when does the infamous Black Widow give warnings."

"That's beside the point-"

"Then explain to me what the point of all of this is. Because frankly, I see no point in this conversation."

"That's the point, it's you," Fury finally shouted. "The way you treat everyone, the way you act, it's not S.H.I.E.L.D. material. You can't threaten others at the drop of a hat. You can't just storm out of an exam because you're upset or you don't agree. You can't act like a child. If you're upset, then talk about it, don't just throw a tantrum and leave."

"Is that how you see this," I asked him as I leaned in and I pushed my now empty plate aside. "Because to me, all it seems like a bunch of people oppressing me. Threatening me to stay in my place or else. If I don't put my foot down, then you people will just walk all over me, and I can't let you do that to me. Not again."

Fury bowed his head after I spoke. He just seemed so tired having to deal with me, but I couldn't help it. It's not like I want to be a bother to him or anyone else. All I wanted was to lay low and do my job, but it seems like I can't even do that.

"When will you accept that we're on your side?" Fury finally asked as he lifted his head to look at me.

"Never, but that doesn't mean I won't work with you. I just can't trust you to be there for me."

Fury stayed quiet for a couple of minutes, but it just made me anxious to see him that silent. What was he thinking? What will he say? Am I really going to get fired? What's going to happen to me now?

"Then find someone in this agency that you can rely on," Fury said. "Someone other than Barton."

"Why can't it be Clint?" I asked him a bit shocked, because wouldn't that be perfect. I already knew Clint the longest, he's my friend and teammate, and he's my SO.

"He won't always be here to help you. If you rely on him, and only him then, you won't have anyone if he ever leaves. You'll be alone again."

He does have a good point, I don't want to be in the same situation as before where I put all of my faith into just two people only to lose them both, but it's just so hard to let other people in. No, it's not just hard, it's impossible. Who could I possibly trust or rely on? Who can I talk to... or be friends with?

"Just find someone to talk to," Fury said before rising to leave. As he made his way through my apartment, he told me one final thing, "And fix your damn attitude."

After that, he was gone, and I was alone again with my thoughts.

* * *

It's been two weeks since I had that conversation with Fury, and I haven't talked to anyone about it. I decided not to talk to Clint about it because I didn't know how he would react. He might get angry with me or even disappointed that Fury had to sit down and talk to me as if I was a child. Who knows he might already know about the talk I had with Fury. I won't be surprised if he does or doesn't know about it. In the end, it doesn't matter because, in some way, Fury did make a good point. I won't ever admit it out loud, but I know he did.

Here I am trying to relax and enjoy my day off, and all I can think about is how Fury is right. I bet he's laughing at me right now. Well, I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that he got to me. I'm going to enjoy my day off, and I'm going to like it. With that final thought, I walked into the nearest store.

I should probably explain why I am currently at the mall, which is the last place someone like myself would want to spend their Sunday afternoon. The reason I'm here is that, well... I don't know, actually. Look, I wanted to have some fun today, and supposedly spending the day at the mall is a great way to do it. Plus, Clint told me if I don't spend some of the money that I keep saving, then he's going to start buying me stuff, which in turn will make me feel guilty. So, I just got guilt-tripped into buying useless items, joy.

Oh well, I suppose this is as good of a time as any to splurge a little, even if it does give me anxiety to do it. Which is why I'm doing my best to buy things I know I want. I also checked my account several times to make sure I have an appropriate amount of money in there, and I withdrew some cash as well. That way I can have some more money on hand, in case of anything.

That's the reason I'm here, standing in front of a wooden 7.5" skateboard that costs $49.99 with an amazing design of Hogwarts on its underside. I use to have a skateboard a couple of years back when I still lived in Houston, and it was a good find too since it only needed a few repairs when I found it near the dumpsters. I guess I can buy this one to replace my last one, and I know what you might be thinking. Why in the world would I want a skateboard when I can fly? The only answer I have for you is that I want it and that's that. So, I grabbed the skateboard and raced to the cash register, ready to pay for it and be on my way. When I placed the board on the desk, I got the strangest look from the cashier. It was an older man who looked to be in his late twenties wearing a black beanie and a Vans t-shirt. I have no idea what else he was wearing, and I really don't care.

"So, is this for your boyfriend?" The man asked me. I guess he was trying to have a conversation with me but I wasn't a fan of that idea, but then again I don't want to be rude either.

"No."

"A friend?"

"No."

"Brother or family member?" he kept asking. Good lord, if I knew I would be playing twenty questions with this guy, I wouldn't have walked up here in the first place.

"It's for me," I told him quickly, hoping that would get him to shut up. That's when he started to laugh, which I didn't understand why he would. It's not like I said something funny all I said is that the skateboard was for me.

"You're kidding, right? This skateboard is for you?" he asked me. He had a look of complete disbelief when I nodded my head back at him to confirm my answer. "Listen, sweetie, I don't think it's a good idea to get a skateboard. It can be dangerous, and you're a girl. We don't want that pretty face of yours to get all marked up, right?"

Now, most would think that in a situation like this, I would start screaming about sexism and how he was wrong. In reality, it's a bit different because I don't feel the need to scream and lower myself to his level of stupidity. Plus, his opinion doesn't really matter to me.

"So how about you leave this board with me, and I'll put it back later. As for you, why don't you go buy yourself some pretty heels to match that outfit of yours," he said in a demeaning tone. I hate it when men look down at me simply because I'm female, and I don't have something hanging between my legs. What does it matter if you're a female or male? I'm a freaking superhero, you jerk!

That brings up my next point, what do my clothes have anything to do with this? I was wearing a simple outfit that consisted of a red tank top, my black sunglasses, blue jeans, and my black converse, so please tell me in what way is this dressy? Why would I need heels? And how does any of that have anything to do with me getting this skateboard. I swear this man is clueless.

"Listen, I'm not here to listen to you talk down to me like I'm some stupid child. I'm a grown woman who can make her own choices, including whether or not I want this skateboard. So why don't you just ring that board up and tell me my total so I can pay and leave." I told him irritably, but I guess that wasn't enough for him since he still insisted on speaking to me.

"Sweetie, with that kind of attitude, you'll never get a boyfriend." the idiot had the nerve to tell me that. I was right about to tell this man off and give him a real taste of my attitude when someone behind me started speaking up.

"Is there a problem here?" the stranger said but I recognized that voice. When I turned around, it was to find Steve standing right behind me. Why was he wearing sunglasses and a baseball hat?

"No man, there's no problem here." the other man told Steve, although he looked a bit nervous now. "Just that she might want to grab a helmet and elbow pads."

"She already has a helmet, so don't worry about it," Steve answered for me. I was so shocked by his sudden arrival that I couldn't think of anything to say. Like always, this man has left me completely speechless.

"Sorry, um, I'll check this out for her then."

After that, we didn't have any more problems, and I quickly paid for my prize so that we could leave. Once we left the store, we made our way to some nearby benches to sit down. I still haven't said anything to Steve mostly because I didn't know what to tell the older man, but I guess I could say thank you.

"I didn't need your help, you know." I pointed out to the blond. "I could have handled that man without you."

"I know, but that doesn't mean you have to," he replied with a smile. "By the way, you're welcome."

I rolled my eyes at him, but a smile still appeared on my face. The man was just too sweet. Still, I was confused by his get-up today, which consisted of his old school attire with a brown leather jacket, sunglasses, and a hat. It didn't even match and from what I heard it was hot today. I mean sure the heat doesn't bother me but it might bother Steve. I said all of this out loud a second later.

"Oh, I just didn't want to be recognized, that's all."

"Well, that makes sense, but you don't have to wear so many layers. Wearing all of that in this heat doesn't make any sense and it just makes you stand out even more."

"I guess you do have a point," Steve admitted sheepishly.

"Here let me help you," I offered as I went about straightening out his outfit. All I really did was take off his hat and told him to remove his jacket. I allowed him to keep his sunglasses on, but now it looked odd that we both had them on at the same time inside of the mall. But I couldn't take mine off because of my eyes so to make it better I put on the hat Steve had on earlier. It looked better on me anyway. Now Steve looks a bit better but he could use some pointers for future reference. Oh well, that can wait until later.

"I'm guessing the reason you're wearing sunglasses is because you're trying to avoid being recognized?" Steve asked me once I was done helping him.

"Yes, and the fact that I have swirling pink eyes that glow." I pointed out to him.

"Right... it kind of always ends up like this, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sorry, it's just that every time I'm out somewhere, and I bump into someone, my conversation always ends up dry," he tells me, but he suddenly realizes how he said it wasn't that nice. "Not to say that you're boring, no, I meant that I have a habit of saying... nothing interesting."

"That's not true, I mean, the last time we spoke it was pretty funny," I told him.

"You don't have to lie to make me feel better, Calliope."

"Listen here Steve, if there is one thing I don't do is lie to a friend," I explain to him. "I see no point in lying to someone, and if anything, I have a problem with being too honest."

"So we are friends then?" Steve asked me. Just then, I remembered the last conversation we had two weeks ago.

"Yeah, yeah, we're friends, okay," I said. "Just don't tell anyone because I have a reputation to maintain."

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Steve laughed. "By the way, why are you at the mall? It just doesn't seem like a place you would like to be."

"Eh, Clint guilt-tripped me into spending some money on myself," I explained, and then proceeded to tell Steve the entire story. By the end of my story, Steve actually agreed to help me spend even more of my money. "I'm pretty sure a true friend would tell me not to spend my money."

"Well, the way I see it, you deserve to have some fun."

"But this isn't exactly my version of fun," I tell him. "Spending money at the mall is the opposite of fun."

"Maybe because you didn't have anyone with you?" Steve tried to reason with me, but all that did was remind me of something else.

"Interesting coming from the guy who was here by himself."

"Well..."

"Steve, why are you at the mall?" I asked the captain, and by his expression, it was easy to tell that he wasn't happy to be here either. He told me the only reason he came to the mall is because of his wardrobe. Apparently, it was outdated (which is true), and Romanoff wouldn't get off his back about it. She wasn't the only person who said something about it either. There were others who said that Steve was taking too long to catch up to the current trends, which wasn't fair. From what I can see, Steve is trying really hard to move forward with his life and to learn as much as he can about the world along the way.

"So you came here to change your look? But you look fine, so why would you want to change? I say you forget about those people and focus on what you want."

"That's the problem," Steve muttered. "I dress like this because, in a way, I am still living in the past, and I don't want to move forward. I know I said I would try but… I can't."

In so many ways, I felt that because I was the same way. I didn't want to move on with my life, but I knew I had to, and oddly enough, it was Steve who gave me the final push to do it. When he told me after the battle of New York that he was going to try and move forward, it gave me the courage to do the same. Even if I didn't understand that back then, I do now. The least I can do is encourage him as he inspired me.

"Maybe because you didn't have anyone to help you move forward," I told him. "What about this, I'll help you move forward, and you can help me shop."

"That doesn't seem like an even trade..." Steve pointed out to me.

"I beg to differ because shopping is horrendous!" I stated dramatically before hopping out of my seat. "Come on, let's shop!"

So off we went going into different stores to buy some clothes. I actually bought some new shoes, so that was good. It was just some more converse that came in different colors, no big deal. Steve, on the other hand, had a new wardrobe, all thanks to me. No, I didn't buy him anything, but I did help him pick out some new outfits. I also convinced him to get a haircut, which was near impossible to do. It was a simple haircut that was easy to manage no less, and the best part is that he won't look so old now. He actually looks his age now, which was great.

The last thing we decided to do before we left to grab something to eat was to go into a nearby store that had a couple of neat stuff in it. We somehow got separated as we were walking through the store, but I didn't mind. There was actually something I was looking for, and if Steve saw me try to buy it for him, he would stop me. I just can't stop thinking about the big list of things Steve has to try and remember to learn about or see. All I want to do is make it easier for him.

Finally, after searching for a couple of minutes, I found one hidden in a corner. It was small, and it didn't look half bad, so I decided to buy it before it was too late. Thankfully I did so before Steve caught me. Once the lady bagged my item, Steve finally found his way back to me.

"What did you buy?" Steve asked me as we started to walk out of the store.

"Oh, nothing, let's go get something to eat," I told him as I walked in the direction of the food court.

We couldn't agree on what to eat once we got there, so we decided to grab what we wanted at our respective locations and then meet back up to eat together. We found a table near the back where not that many people were eating and decided to sit there. At first, neither one of us spoke but, as we drew to the end of our meal, I finally pulled out my last purchase and laid it in front of the older man.

"Is that what you bought"

"Yes, and it's for you."

"What?" Steve asked me, clearly confused with the gift. Feeling confident, I picked up the notebook in my hand and flipped through it so he could see inside of it and all of its empty pages.

"Well, it must be difficult keeping track of everything new, so I thought I'd make it easier for you," I explained to him as I handed him the book. "This way, you can keep track of everything you need to see and learn about and what you've already learned."

For a moment, Steve didn't say anything to me as he held the small notebook in his hand. But the smile on his face was so genuine that one appeared on my face as well.

"You'll help, right?"

"Excuse me?"

"You'll help me go through the list, right?" he asked me again, and I was about to say no, but once again, the look on his face was just too pure.

"Sure, but I refuse to watch any scary movies or Star Wars related stuff," I told him before finishing my meal.

"Star Wars?"

"Not gonna lie this movie is iconic, and most people have seen it, and even if they haven't seen it, they at least know about it."

"So should that be at the top of the list?" he asked me but I quickly stopped him.

"Nope, that will be near the middle of the list. The very first thing you need to catch up on is the original Disney movies. After that, we can watch whatever Disney has bought the rights to over the years."

"Disney?" Steve laughed at me, but I was being completely serious.

"Yes, because Disney basically owns the world right now."

"I did like Snow White when it first came out."

"You did? That's great!" I cheered with excitement.

"You seem excited," Steve chuckled, but I couldn't help it.

"It's because Snow White was my favorite movie growing up. I used to watch it all the time when my parents were alive. It kind of sucks that not that many people like her now in days, but the fact that you like her movie, even though you might not be a huge fan of hers, is great." I explained to the blond.

Before I knew what he was doing, Steve grabbed all of our trash and left. Before leaving, he told me to sit tight, and he would be back soon. A couple of minutes passed, and Steve still hadn't returned. Did he get lost or something? I was right about to get up and search for him when he came racing back to our table. Without saying a word, he sat down and started writing in his new notebook. Once he finished, he passed it to me along with the pen I assume he just bought because he didn't have one earlier. When I opened the notebook to the first page, it was to find Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the very top of the page. Before I knew it, another smile formed on my face.

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Yup, Steve and Calliope are officially friends now so, you'll be seeing a lot more of them in the future. Hint for the next chapter is the appearance of the Science Bros! Well, until next time bye guys!


	18. Ch 18: Science Bros

...

I'm back! Soooo like always I don't own marvel I only own my OC Star Ray... enjoy

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_" Outstanding results, doctor," I could hear a man say in the distance, but I didn't know what they were talking about. I'm assuming it was about one of their precious test subjects. There were about 10 of us left, and as time went on more of us kept dying but I guess that's not important to them. _

"_Thank you, sir," was all the doctor responded with. I hope he dies one day just like the other children here. A horrible painful death._

_"Compared to the others, how far is she?" The man asked. __**She? **__Who are they talking about? More importantly, who is speaking? I never have met the man the doctor speaks to so often. He's always careful and he makes sure that not one of us can see his face. I wonder who he could be._

_"Subject 501 is by far the only successful female candidate we have. The other subjects have all turned out as failures." _

_I felt a chill as the doctor said subject 501. That was me. He claims I'm a success, but I don't even feel human anymore. I feel broken, and ugly inside. It takes everything within me to fight each day just to live. I don't wanna die, but I don't want to go back to that table again._

_"Doesn't she have a younger sister we can use? Perhaps we can duplicate the results with the younger one, and who knows, she may be stronger than 501."_

**No!** _That wasn't part of the deal that I made with the doctor. We agreed that if I allowed myself to be experimented on, that he wouldn't hurt her. This isn't what he promised me!_

_"If only sir," The doctor said dejectedly. "We ran some tests first to find out if the younger one had anything similar to the elder, but alas it wasn't meant to be. The younger one isn't even her sister. Well... not fully, that is. They're only half-sisters, and we suspect that whatever gave the elder one the perfect genetic code to fully integrate with the radiation lies within the father's genetics, not the mother."_

_"Ah, so it would be a waste to try it on the girl." The man said a bit disappointed, but he quickly recovered. "Very well then doctor, I'll check in with you soon."_

_"Of course, sir," The doctor replied._

* * *

"Do you ever wonder what you are?" I asked out of the blue.

"I'm sorry, but what?" Steve asked with a confused expression on his face. We were currently walking through the park in D.C. since I had some free time, and Steve didn't have any missions. We usually hang out together when we have free time ever since I promised to help Steve catch up with the current times. We were doing pretty good with catching him up, but every now and then we both wanted to relax and go for a walk, which is why we're here now.

"Let me rephrase that. Do you ever wonder how much you've changed since being experimented on?" I asked the blond as we continued to walk.

"I did in the beginning when I was first given the serum, but I haven't thought about it in some time," the Captain explained. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been thinking about who I am lately. And before you say something, allow me to explain what I mean." I told the older man when I noticed he was about to speak. "When I was a kid, my parents died, and my sister and I were sent to an orphanage. After a year or so, a couple adopted us under the pretense of wanting children. Those are the people who experimented on me and created **this**," I told him, motioning to myself.

"I don't know what or who I am. When I was there, I was merely subject 501, and my goal was to survive. When I escaped, I tried to bury it all in the past and move on with my life. Now I realize I can't actually do that. The past never stays in the past, and in order to do my job correctly, I need to know what I am. But the problem is I don't know how to do that. Because every time I try to figure out what I am I ... change."

"You change?"

"What I mean is that my powers get more... well... powerful, and I feel less human."

"But isn't that to be expected?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said that you got these powers when you were a child, right?"

"What's your point?"

"Well, you're still growing as a person, just like any other human being, and females don't stop growing until the age of 21," Steve pointed out. "That's why you feel that your powers keep changing. Because you yourself are still changing."

"I guess that's true," I said reluctantly.

After that, we walked in silence for a while more, enjoying our day off. It was nice being able to have someone to talk to about this. I often feel alone about these things, but ever since I started talking to Steve, I began to feel just a little less lonely. Clint even mentioned that my mood was improving too.

"You know if it's bothering you that much, you can talk to Dr. Banner about this."

"Banner?" I echoed as I was pulled out of my thoughts. I haven't seen that man in forever. I don't even know where he is right now. Doesn't he live outside the country towards the east? Plus, why would I speak to him? I say all of this out loud a moment later to Steve.

"Actually, last I heard he's still staying with Stark in his tower, and the reason I mention him is that I think he can help you. Although he specializes in Gamma radiation, I think he can still help you run some tests. Also, he's very discreet about his work, so I doubt he'll tell anyone what you two are working on."

"That's actually not a bad idea," I murmured to myself. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Steve shoot me a dirty look.

"You make it sound like I never have a good idea." I heard Steve mutter under his breath, and I couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

It took some time for me to gather up the courage to see Dr. Banner. The only reason why it took me so long was that I still don't like being around Doctors. They make me uncomfortable due to my past, but I reasoned that if I wanted my answers, then I would have to give Dr. Banner a try. That's why I'm here in front of Stark towers on one of my few days off. Hopefully, I can see the doctor and be on my way as soon as possible. I don't intend on staying long. New York is far too busy for my liking.

After another minute of debating, I finally entered the building. It's been a while since I've been here, but it seems like the tower has finally been fixed. The only thing I find odd about the place is that there's a giant A at the front of the building instead of the name Stark. Sure the man is an Avenger, but it's not like we conduct meetings here, so what's the point in having a giant A. I feel like it's for publicity, but I could be wrong. Still, that's beside the point. When I get to the receptionist, I can't help but fidget a little. I hate being in big buildings in general, and it doesn't help that I'm here to see the doctor. Plus this lady looks kind of mean, but then again who am I to judge someone based on their appearance.

"Can I help you?" She asked me in a deflated tone.

"Yes, can you tell Dr. Banner that Calliope Rodriguez is here to see him," I tell her in a polite voice.

"Do you have an appointment?'

"Um... no, I was-"

"No one can see the doctor without an appointment. You'll have to come back another day," the older woman told me. She said all of this without even looking at me. Whatever was on her computer must be fascinating.

"Well, can I leave a message?" I asked her, but this seemed to annoy her even further. Finally, she stopped looking at her computer to look at me. She took one look at me, and with a roll of her eyes and a click with her tongue, she deemed me unworthy. Look, I understand I'm not the most finely dressed woman on Earth, but I will not be disrespected simply because I prefer to wear converse and not heels. Yes, I understand a navy blue short sleeve shirt, sunglasses, and black pants are not what could be termed as proper dress attire in this building, but I don't care.

"Look, you need to make an appointment if you want to see the doctor. He's not taking any messages today. Have a nice day." and without giving me another look, she went back to her computer. Fine if she wanted to be rude, then I can be rude right back.

"Alright, listen here sweetie you're going to pick up your phone and tell Dr. Banner that I'm-" before I finish speaking, she cuts me off once again.

"Ma'am, if you don't leave now, I'll call security." she threatened me, and instead of responding, I smirked and removed my glasses. I allowed them to glow dangerously before going back to normal once again. Her face drained of all color as she realized who I was, and she let out a small gasp as I moved in closer.

"Go ahead, and in the meantime, tell Dr. Banner that Star Ray is here to speak to him," I tell her confidently.

"Of course, ma'am- Miss Star Ray," she said as she got busy making the call. With that done, I put my glasses back on and waited. There was no need for me to tell the whole world I was here after all. "Dr. Banner said you can come right up. If you need me to escort you there, I will-"

"There's no need for that I can bring her up there myself," I heard someone say behind me. When I turned around, it was to find Ms. Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries, there with a bodyguard beside her.

"Of course, Ms. Potts." the receptionist said quietly but politely. Although I could still hear the relief she felt in her voice.

"You can follow me, Miss Rodriguez," Ms. Potts told me with a warm smile as she led me to the elevators. Once inside she looked over at me with the same smile. "So, why do you need to speak to Bruce?"

"Um..." all the confidence I had earlier withered away, and now I was back to being my usual awkward self. What made matters worse is the bodyguard. I'm not afraid of the man. I'm just not sure he can be trusted, but it seems Ms. Potts was one step ahead of me.

"Don't worry, Happy here won't tell anyone anything, I can assure you that."

"Well... I need to talk to him about work-related things." I explained to her trying not to sound rude.

"The Avengers?"

"Not really..."

I'm sure she could tell how uncomfortable I was and thankfully she dropped the conversation. Once the elevator dinged, she began to escort me to the doctor. She explained to me that Dr. Banner could usually be found in his personal lab, and it only got worse when Stark came around. Apparently, the two had become great friends since the battle of New York.

"Well, here we are," Ms. Potts motioned to a metal door that had a hazard sign on it. "You'll find Bruce in there with Tony, and this is your temporary pin to get into the lab. Just punched that in, and Jarvis will allow you to enter."

"Right... thank you, Ms. Potts."

"You're welcome." and with that, she left with Happy in tow. Now here I was standing in front of a metal door all by myself again. Might as well change that. I punched the pin in and with a woosh the doors open to reveal a lab that held the notorious Science Bros.

At first, neither one of them noticed me as I walked in. Both of them were hunched over a device of some kind. They were discussing how the power source was not adequate, and they needed to change it. I don't know, it was very confusing just like their lab. The lab itself was a mess. Papers everywhere and mechanical parts everywhere else. A part of me wanted to clean it up for them but I heard that touching something that belonged to a genius was a big no-no.

Instead, I found myself sitting in the only seat available. As I waited for the right moment to call their attention over to me, I went over the best way to start the conversation. But, no matter how hard I tried to come up with something, it all came out wrong. It was either too forced or too easy going. In the end, I decided to be blunt and hope for the best.

"Dr. Banner, may I have a moment of your time... Please?" I asked. As soon as I spoke, both geniuses jumped nearly a foot into the air. I guess I was right in assuming that neither one of them heard me enter the room. Finally, as if a light bulb lit up over both of their heads, they recognized who I was. No point in wearing these sunglasses anymore.

"Sweetheart, that's right, they told us you were on your way up," said Stark with a smirk gracing his face.

"Yes, well, I have business with Dr. Banner, so if you don't mind, can you leave us alone for a moment?" I asked the older man. It was as if he knew that whatever was going to be discussed was no joke. Maybe it was my voice or my expression, but in the end, Stark knew it was time to leave.

"Sure, sweetheart, no problem." He said as he strutted his way across the lab. "Mi casa es su casa."

"Great, so that means you won't try to listen in, right?"

Stark froze as he walked past me, but I could see the smirk on his face widen from the corner of my eye. A moment later and he was strutting across the room again and out the lab door.

"So, why do you want to speak to me?" asked Dr. Banner. He stood there looking at me with a mixture of hesitance and curiosity. I don't blame him of course, given the fact that we hardly knew each, and I honestly felt the same way.

"Do you only specialize in Gamma radiation, or would you say that you have a good handle on all radiations," I asked him in return as I walked closer to him.

"I have a pretty good handle on all types of radiation, but I specialize with Gamma as you can see," he stated as he motioned to himself wryly. "Why do you ask?"

"Are you discreet, Doctor?" I asked as I stood in front of him.

"Yes... where is this going?

"I need some help, and I think you're just the man who can help me. The only thing is that nobody can know about this except us. If anyone were to find out, they would take advantage of it, and it can lead to something... disastrous."

"Nothing I haven't dealt with before... when do we start?"

* * *

I hope you guys liked the new chapter and the next one will be a follow up to this. Until next time!


	19. Ch 19: Two of a kind

Hey, guys, I'm here with a new update! This chapter is centered around Bruce's POV. I'm hoping I have his personality correct but if you see a problem let me know. The chapter isn't too long for a reason since I'm saving the more important content for the upcoming chapters.

Like always enjoy and I do not own Marvel.

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I wasn't against helping people when they're in need. That's why when I was in Kolkata, I would help those who were sick and in pain. When S.H.I.E.L.D. asked for my help, I was hesitant at first since I knew that the only reason they wanted me is because of the **other guy**. Of course, they needed my help finding the cube, but I knew that wasn't the only reason I would be there. In the end, everything turned out well, and now I'm living in Stark towers for the foreseeable future. Still, I'm ready to leave in a moment's notice if need be. I don't doubt Tony, I just know how this always turns out. In the beginning, everything is nice until a particular situation occurs. The event that transpired could have been big or small, but in the end, the entire attitude will shift. I will no longer be a friend or ally to those around me; instead, everyone will turn against me. That's why I prefer to be alone, that way I can avoid the situation that I know will transpire inevitably.

Still, I wasn't expecting this. During our search for the tesseract, I was given information on the different people who would be involved. Calliope Rodriguez was one of those people. On the records that S.H.I.E.L.D. had, it just said that she was incredibly powerful (due to her radioactive mutation), and she was involved in the incident that happened in Houston a while back. It never said anything about experimentations that she had to endure or the tragic events she was forced to live through during the battle against Nuke. Even the list describing her powers was lacking information, but that was due to the girl not knowing what she was capable of doing.

When I was first introduced to her, I knew why they brought her in. Just by standing near her, I knew she was dangerous, by the look in her eyes. Many would believe that if they looked into the eyes of a young 17-year-old girl, it would not seem intimidating. However, when I met the swirling pink eyes of this girl, I felt my very life was in danger, and I could feel **the other guy **stirring. Her eyes were filled with a great void that I never felt before, and anger that I knew even **the other guy** hadn't reached. Her very presence terrifies me to this day.

When she fought against** the other guy** and managed to knock him unconscious, I was amazed. Never have I met someone with so much power before in all my life, and yet like me she didn't want to fight. All she wanted to do was live in peace, but that was no longer an option she had. I was shocked when I learned that she was going to the academy that operates under S.H.I.E.L.D. I was even more amazed when she came here yesterday.

We weren't on friendly terms honestly, none of us really are. We were hardly even a team, so I wasn't expecting her to come to me for help. From what she told me, Captain Rogers suggested that I was the right person to go to for assistance. Considering the particular dilemma she is facing, it is understandable that she would seek me out. I told her the only thing I would need at the moment was a sample of her blood, and if she was willing, then a few scans. I explained every procedure I was going to do and how it was going to do it. I also told her what I was going to do once she allowed me to complete that. She asked many questions in order to understand what I was doing, but in the end, she agreed even if she was a bit nervous.

She asked if she could check-in whenever she had the time to see my progress. I didn't mind since the experiments that I was conducting was about her, and only her. She asked me if there was any type of payment I wanted for my services, but there was nothing that I wanted. As I said, I try to help those in need whenever I could, but there was also another reason I wanted to help her. I knew how it felt to not know what's happening to your own body. To feel as if you were no longer you and the feeling of helplessness.

"Hello Doctor, what do you have there?" Tony asked me as he walked into my lab. I didn't bother hiding my work from him.

_"So, only you, myself, and Captain Rogers know about this?" I asked the youngest Avenger making sure I understood the situation and those involved._

_"Yes, and I would like to keep it that way since I still don't entirely trust S.H.I.E.L.D." She replied as she kept her facial expressions impassive. "If you need help in any way, or by any chance, he may ask you, I don't mind if you tell Stark, but if the man talks to anyone about this I'll kill him._

I didn't need to even need to look at her face to acknowledge that her threat was real. She meant every word she said, and that's why I wasn't too sure if I wanted to tell Tony. He was slowly becoming my friend, but I wasn't sure if I should trust him with information that wasn't mine to give, especially something this sensitive.

_"_Something, for Rodriguez," I answered without giving any information away to the brunette. I turned around to speak to him, hoping that he wouldn't get offended.

"Do you need another set of hands?"

"No, thank you," I answered, and I saw him giving me a nod in return before turning his attention to something else. That's what I appreciated about Tony, he didn't pry into anything I was doing. I didn't feel as if I was constantly being kept under lock and key. I was allowed to do what I wished to do when I wanted.

The lab returned to silence as we worked, with only a few words passing between us. As I continued my experiments, I heard Tony begin to speak, "Where do you think she was since the battle?"

I took a moment to think about the question before asking one of my own, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, we all went our separate ways, and for the most part, it's obvious as to where everyone went," Tony pointed out. "You came with me, prince charming went home with Rudolph, capsicle went to a retirement home, and the assassin duo went back to work."

I had to hide the smile that threatens to appear on my face due to Tony's comment. Although we haven't seen the older Avenger since the battle, I knew Tony no longer held any ill will against the Captain.

"I mean from what I was told she only just started to work with S.H.I.E.L.D. So what did she do before? I doubt she had anything to return to, which means she had to have been somewhere else."

"Maybe she didn't have anything..." I whispered in the end. When I noticed the look the other man was giving me, I started to explain. "When I was on the run, I had to start from nothing and rebuild my life. I did this so many times that I became an expert on how to build a new identity for myself. I would start with no money, no food, and barely any clothes to having a new life that I knew I wouldn't have for long."

"But she's just a kid..." I heard Tony whisper, "She has to have someone she can go to."

"Who would take her? Tony, there are thousands of kids without homes... how hard is it to believe that Calliope could have been homeless too. Her family is gone, it was either she returns to prison, work for the government against her will or have a chance at freedom. She chose freedom, and now she's working with S.H.I.E.L.D. because of a deal she was able to make with them. If anything she got lucky."

The other man said nothing, and he turned back to his work. Thinking that the conversation was now over, I went back to work. Neither one of us spoke for some time, but I felt that the observation I made didn't sit well with Tony. Hours passed, but I wasn't any closer to finding what made the radiation from Rodriguez so strong. I was just about to start a new series of tests when the billionaire spoke up, I had actually forgotten about Tony being inside the lab with me.

"Do you think she has everything?" he quietly asked me from where he stood. He didn't look away from his work, but it was clear that he was no longer paying attention to it.

"Most likely considering she's working with S.H.I.E.L.D., but I'm not too sure. None of us speak to each other, so most likely she's alone, but I wouldn't worry about her if I was you, Tony. She's strong, so I doubt Rodriguez needs anyone."

Tony didn't say anything in return, but an hour, later he left the lab saying that he would be back soon. Even if the other man would never say it, I knew he cared about the youngest Avenger. This wasn't the first time that she was brought up in a conversation, but it was the first time he showed actual concern. Truth be told, he isn't the only one who has voiced concerns about the young woman. Pepper and Happy knew about Rodriguez as well, and many questions were inquired about her throughout my stay in the Tower. Although it wasn't until yesterday that the two met the girl.

Still, the girl looked healthy, and Bruce knew how strong she was compared to the others. Even if he never said it out loud, Bruce did worry about Calliope. That's part of the reason he chose to help her because he knew so few ever did.

Just then, an update appeared on one of the many screens that filled the lab. Bruce took a closer look to discern which test it was considering that multiple were going on at the same time. The test that came back held the result that shocked the scientist to the core. Everything he thought he knew was wrong, and Calliope herself shouldn't even be alive if what he was seeing is true. He had to run the analysis again, he had to be sure it was accurate.

I was on my way to my room after finishing my classes, but I noticed something strange. Everyone I passed was whispering and staring in my direction, but I couldn't understand why. I know when I first started school, this would happen a lot, but everyone got used to it after a while. It seems as if something new concerning me has come up, but I have no idea what it could be.

When I finally entered my room, I noticed what made everyone whisper. What I couldn't understand is what I did to deserve this kind of torture.

"Hey, sweetheart heart, how are you?"

* * *

The upcoming chapters will be centered around Calliope, Tony, Bruce, and probably Pepper. If you guys want more POVs from the other Avengers let me know. Also, don't worry about Natasha and Thor I'll make sure that they appear in later chapter... and maybe a certain trickster as well. Until next time, bye guys.


	20. Ch 20: You have a friend in me

Like always I don't own Marvel, only my OC's.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and the ones to follow.

* * *

"What are you doing here, Stark?"

Seeming offended if only for a second, the older hero finally responded, "Can't I visit my favorite snarky teenage teammate?"

"No, now leave."

"Hey," He exclaimed as I moved past him and placed my belongings on the ground beside my desk. "I came all this way to visit you, and this is how you treat me."

"One I didn't tell you to come here, you came on your own accord. Second I don't know why you came all this way when we aren't friends."

"Speaking of friendship, I have news for you." The brunette remarked, completely ignoring what I just said. It seems as though I won't be getting rid of him any time soon, which in my opinion is a form of torture.

"Fine I'll bite, what is it?" I asked as I turned to face him. I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Perhaps if I entertain him for a bit he'll get bored and leave. The last thing I need is for him to stay here with me when I'm already anxious about the lab results from Dr. Banner.

"Take a look in your closet," Said Stark with a smile on his face.

Not knowing where this is going, I did as I was told and I opened the door to my closet. Inside I find shopping bags piled on top of each other. Shocked as to why the man had spent so much money on me, I turned to face him. "WHAT IS ALL OF THIS?"

"Clothes, shoes, and accessories for you in different styles. By the way, don't just look at the bags, look inside. If there's anything you don't like or if it doesn't fit, I'll return it."

"Stark, that's not the point!"

"Really... Oh, don't worry about paying me back, the clothes are a gift."

"No, Stark..."

"Is it the fact that I'm a man because Pepper ordered the clothes. I just told her to put it on my card."

"No...Stark, why on earth did you buy me clothes?"

"Oh, it's not just clothes. I upgraded all of your electronics to Stark technology, and I heard you have an apartment in Washington, so I bought you all new furniture, and home goods. All of that is free by the way, so don't-"

"TONY," I yelled, finally gaining the older Avenger's attention. "Why on earth did you buy all of this?"

There was a pause in the conversation as he tried to find an answer to my question. I soon realized that looking at him must have made him nervous since he quickly averted his gaze from me. It was as if he was struggling with something, although what it was I couldn't tell. Seeing as he isn't going to speak unless pushed, I chose to continue speaking.

"Look here, Charlie Chaplin, if you don't start talking I'm going to kick you out of my room. I don't have time to waste on you. Some of us actually have to study to pass a test since we aren't geniuses aka me."

Stark rolled his eyes at my comment, but the tension that was once in the room now left. Since he felt more at ease, the brunette motioned me forward so we could sit together on my bed.

"Listen, I may not fully understand what you're going through, but I do understand how it feels to be alone. Especially at your age," Stark explained to me. "I didn't have a lot of people who cared for me, or at least not the real me. I want to make sure that's different for you, so if you need me I'll be there. I might not offer the best advice, but I can help in any other way that you may need."

"Like buying an entire department store?"

"Have you seen the stuff you own? You needed an upgrade; however, I meant something else," he pointed out as he handed me a card. On the identification card, it had my picture, my code name Star Ray, and the Stark name. "If you ever need a place to stay then Stark towers are open to you. There's a suite there for every Avenger. Yours is right above Bruce. He wanted it like that just in case something happens, you would be there to take on the Hulk. I also made sure that every available resource is accessible to you when or if you decide to visit."

I was touched by the amount of effort the older man made just so I could be comfortable. I've never had anyone spoil me like this, and I honestly don't know what to say. Still, the important part is that in his own way, Stark is trying to help me. That isn't something I will forget anytime soon. There aren't many people who are willing to go out of their way for another person, especially a brat like me.

"Hey, Stark, do you want to get a bite to eat? I'm starving." I told the brunette. Understanding what I truly meant, he took my offer to go spend some time together. Not as teammates but as friends.

Taking into consideration my distaste for the spotlight, the older man agreed to buy take out. After getting our food, we went to a nearby building and sat on the ledge, enjoying the view of the city as we ate. We didn't speak much, but unlike before, the silence between us now isn't tense. If anything, I feel slightly comforted being near Tony. I almost feel like there's something between the two of us. Something unspoken that not even I understand.

"So, after the battle of New York, what have you been up to?" he asked me once he was done eating.

"Traveling around the country, trying to figure out what to do with my life."

"And working for S.H.I.E.L.D. is what you thought was best?"

"Kind of... It's a long and confusing story."

"I have time," Tony responded with a smile, but I didn't return it. "I get it, you don't trust me, do you?"

It bothered me how Tony sounded hurt when he said that. This man has gone above and beyond for not only me but the entire team. I didn't want to offend him, but it's also difficult to break out of my old habits. Especially with my terrible track record.

Clint and I no longer have the same relationship as we once shared, but that's mostly my fault. After that one conversation we had, our relationship slowly went downhill. Over time we stopped speaking and grew distant. As for the other Avengers, well, I've never been friends with them, to begin with.

Agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. are in a worse category. I still distrust the organization as a whole, and I don't think I will ever truly feel safe near them. Agent Edwards is by far the best from the entire lot, but I still feel like something is off about her. It's like my instincts are screaming at me to run the other way even if she hasn't done anything to ever harm me. All she has ever done is help me, but I can't shake this feeling I have.

Steve, is another story altogether. He may be an Avenger, a man from another time, but gradually he has become the only person I've come to trust. Steve never pressured me into a situation or made me feel uncomfortable. That's most likely why I allowed myself to become so close to him. But can I do the same with Tony? I suppose one could say if you don't first try, you'll never find out…

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I explained to Steve. I trust the Avengers in a fight, but when it comes to my personal life, well... it's not that easy. I've lived a difficult life; I never had any luck when it comes to trusting others. I'm trying to at least be more open, but it's difficult. Everyone expects me to change and become this brand new person overnight, but I can't do that. It's hard to change when you live your entire life one way."

"That's alright kid, I'm in no rush. I'm just glad you're giving me a chance to talk to you."

"Yeah, me too," I responded, looking away from the city to the man beside me. In all honesty, I am glad I chose to spend some time with Tony. I don't have friends at my school, so it gets lonely sometimes. Although I still prefer being alone, I have come to the conclusion that even people like me need to interact with the world around them every now and then.

I knew Tony felt the same way due to the sincerity in his eyes, but when I looked closer I noticed something beneath it. Something sad, scared, and lonely. I knew that look well. I have seen that look on so many before, including my own face.

"Tony, are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You don't look like your usual self. It took some time for me to notice since we aren't exactly close, but I know the look of a person who's suffering silently."

Tony froze, but he quickly covered it up with a smirk. I'm assuming it was due to years of practice of being in the spotlight that made him such a good actor. Then again, it could be the fact that he's used to being in pain that he knows how to hide his feelings in front of others.

"I wouldn't say the look in my eyes is one of suffering, Sweetheart, " Tony joked but I didn't believe him. A look like his isn't one you confuse with anything else.

"Tony…"

"I'm alright Calliope, I've just been staying up late, working on some suits. I have some new ideas floating around my head, so I've been tinkering around the lab a bit more than usual."

"Alright," I responded, but I didn't believe him for a second. "But if you need any help 'tinkering', just let me know."

"Right back at you, sweetheart."

I was right about to say something when my new STARK phone started to ring. The great thing about the upgrades Tony gave me is that everything transferred over, and I got to keep my phone number. Taking a quick second to check my phone to see who was calling, I gave Tony a signal to hold on while I answered the phone.

"Hello, Dr. Banner, any news?"

_"Yes, when can you come to the lab?"_

"I can come Saturday in the afternoon. Sound good?"

_"... I would have preferred if you came sooner than that. If that's the best you can do, then so be it. I'll see you Saturday."_

Banner hung up after that parting statement. It left me a bit unhinged hearing Dr. Banner sound so unsettled. All I want to do is fly over to STARK Towers right now and figure out what the heck is going on.

"Calliope, is everything okay?" Stark asked me out of nowhere. I had honestly forgotten he was here with me.

"Yeah, I just have to head to the lab this Saturday to speak to Dr. Banner. Look, Tony, thanks for everything I really do appreciate all you've done for me."

"Don't mention it, and just so you know, if you need to talk, I'm here for you too."

After that, we spent another hour or so together before Tony had to leave. I was thankful for that because it distracted me from this upcoming Saturday. The rest of the week, however, I was on edge. I could hardly concentrate on what I was doing. Some of my professors took notice of my tense silence but they said nothing to me, and I was grateful for it. All I could think of is flying to the lab as fast as possible to confront Dr. Banner.

Why did Dr. Banner sound so troubled? Did he find something deadly in my DNA that could affect me down the line? Am I a danger to others? What's wrong?

The whole week I had to pretend that I was okay even if I am freaking out on the inside. I knew if I caused a scene here at school S.H.I.E.L.D. will try to figure out what's going on, and that's the last thing I need. Heaven knows what they'll try to do with that information.

As soon as I was done with everything related to S.H.I.E.L.D. at the end of the week, I flew to STARK Towers. I didn't bother going through the front door like everyone else. I flew to the balcony, and I went straight to the elevator and pushed the button that would take me to Banner's floor.

"Jarvis, can you hear me?" I called out, hoping I would get a response.

_Of course, Miss Rodriguez, how may I assist you?_

"Tell Dr. Banner I'm here."

_Of course, would you like me to inform Mr. Stark that you are here?_

"No, let's not do that just yet. I have an appointment with the Doctor that I like to keep confidential."

When the elevator doors opened, I ran to the lab as fast as I could. Dr. Banner was already waiting for me when I entered. Without saying a word, he motions me to come closer to sit down at the opposite side of him. I did just that, not bothering to say hello as I waited for the results. Instead, all I receive is silence. The silence stretched on between us engulfing me, and I could hardly stand it.

"Dr. Banner, if you have something to say, please just come out and say it. I can't stand another moment, not knowing what the hell is going on in my own body." I stammered to the doctor in a panicked voice. The only thing I can think of every day is that something may be wrong with me.

"Very well, I'll get straight to it. Rodriguez, the type of radiation inside of your body, is not of this world."

"What do you mean? It's from space?"

"Yes and no. You see, cosmic radiation is high-energy protons and atomic nuclei that move through space at nearly the speed of light. They originate from the sun, from outside of the solar system, and from distant galaxies. Usually, by the time it hits Earth, it's harmless, but the farther a person is out in space, the more likely it is that they will receive damage to the body."

"I don't understand, what does that have to do with me?"

"The radiation running through your body has similar characteristics of cosmic radiation; however, they are not the same. The rays in your body are by far more robust than any other I have seen on Earth or known radiation in space. It's foreign to me, and I don't know where to start."

"Okay, but what does that mean for me?"

"The way it combined with your body is similar to how the gamma rays combined with mine. The radiation has seeped all the way into your DNA, changing you from the cellular level. Unlike the gamma rays that mutated me due to an activation of a latent gene, your transformation occurred differently. Nothing activated, because this gene is missing in your biological code, meaning you should have died."

"But, I'm alive."

"Exactly, which means we have to do more tests to figure out how you survived with this in your body for so long."

As Dr. Banner continued speaking, I couldn't help but run through what he said. How I shouldn't be alive and the radiation inside of my body is far too powerful. Thinking about that and my recent development of power, I can't help but think of myself as a ballon. Each day I continue to fill up with air, and I'm afraid one day I'll pop. The terrible thing is if I pop, I could hurt so many around me.

"Dr. Banner, am I a danger to others?"

"The blood samples you gave me along with the body scans weren't enough to tell me the full story, not even half, but it was enough to..."

"To what?" I asked the doctor, but he didn't respond, which only confirmed my suspicion. I'm far too dangerous to be around others. "Bruce, will I hurt people?"

"I'm not sure Calliope. You're an enigma to me and everything scientifically possible. What I do know is that you are no longer the same girl I knew back on the Hellicarrier. You've grown more powerful in every way imaginable that I'm not sure if your body will be able to keep up with it. All I can say is that it would be best if I did more tests. "

"Of course whatever you say," I acknowledge, but my heart wasn't in it. Dr. Banner performed many analyses, but none of them would be ready anytime soon. I left the tower and went back home, to my dorm.

When it was time for school, I closed myself off even more than I usually did. I couldn't focus on anything around me due to the stress I'm feeling. All I want is to find out whether or not I'm a danger to others because if I am, then I'll have to leave. For the first time in my life, I don't want to run. I finally have friends and a semi-stable life. The last thing I want is to lose them like...

What if I end up like Christopher and turn into some brainless monster. What if the radiation he absorbed only sped the process up, and we were ticking time bombs since the beginning. What if I'm next? Will the Avengers fight me and put me down like some animal? Will they keep me alive so S.H.I.E.L.D. can experiment on me? What's going to happen to me? I can't do this anymore!

I feel my entire world spinning and I couldn't stop it. I feel nauseous, yet my mouth is bone dry. My skin feels sweaty but I have goosebumps all over my arms. What's happening to me? Why now? Why is the room closing in on me? Why can't I stop shaking?

I stand up in the middle of the lecture and ran outside leaving my belongings in the classroom. Once I left the building, I began to fly as fast as I could through the sky without a destination in mind.

Hours passed, but I didn't bother to eat or drink anything. All I want is to be left alone to finally think. It didn't help in the least bit. I'm still freaking out, but it's late so I decide to head back to my dorm. Maybe if get some sleep or call Steve I'll feel better.

When I returned to my room, it was nightfall already. As I entered, I didn't notice anyone was there until I turned the lights on. I let out a gasp of shock when I saw Clint sitting there on my bed with a look of disapproval on his face.

"Clint," I finally said, surprised that he's here at such a late hour. Although a part of me is glad that he's here because I really needed to talk to someone about my problem. "What are you doing here?"

"You weren't answering your phone, and the school notified me as soon as you left campus. Where have you been all day?"

"I went flying," I murmured to the older man. I don't why but the way Clint spoke, sounded like the calm before the storm. It unnerved me completely.

"Kid, you can't just disappear in the middle of class. You have responsibilities."

"I know it's just-"

"No," Clint cut me off before I could explain myself. "I'm tired of this. Why do you feel the need to make everything difficult for everyone? First, you go missing after the battle of New York; next, you basically threaten the security guards that are holding Christopher to let you in to see him or else. Afterward, you threaten Natasha that the next time she threatens you, you'll kill her-"

"You know?"

"I KNOW EVERYTHING I'M YOUR HANDLER!" Clint shouted with rage. "I know the entire conversation because she was bugged. It was a test, and you FAILED. Then you storm out in the middle of a test like a kid the next day. Finally, you walk out during class today without telling anyone where you were going because you wanted to go and fly around."

"Clint, I'm sorry."

"Are you? Because at this point I'm not sure if I should believe you. You are given simple instructions to follow, and you can't even do that. Look, if you want to quit S.H.I.E.L.D. that's fine, but don't waste our time either. Why can't you decide-

"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!" I screamed as tears streamed down my face. I'm afraid of what I might turn into. I'm terrified of who I might hurt in the process. I'm just scared!

"Calliope-"

"No, let me speak! You had your turn now it's mine," I sobbed as I tried to speak to the older man. "I'm not okay... I'm just a kid who grew up too fast! I'm alone and scared all of the time! I've watched both of my parents take their own lives, and I was adopted by some psycho who thought experimenting on kids was alright! I was experimented on for years in terrible ways that you could never imagine. I escaped, and yet I lived my entire life in fear trying to stay safe and keep my family hidden. In the end, it wasn't enough because everyone I love is gone. Now, I have to try and start a new life for myself only to find out that I might die or hurt someone else!"

"Kid, I-"

"No! I can't keep doing this! I'm not like the rest of you, Clint... I can't keep living like this. I try so hard, but it's never enough for anyone. I can't please the entire world... I can't do this anymore."

"Calliope, I didn't know," Clint whispered in disbelief.

"No, how could you know. I didn't tell you, and I understand that I should have said something before, but I'm just so scared of what I might become in the future that I kept quiet about it. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, we can help you."

"NO, YOU CAN'T! NO ONE CAN HELP ME!"

I feel like I'm being crushed under all the stress I've kept inside. I can feel my heart racing, and my vision is going dark. The room is closing in on me, and I can't stop trembling. I need to leave now, I can't bear to stay here a second longer. I ran.

I ran as fast as I could back outside of my dorm, and I flew up into the sky as soon as I had the chance. I kept flying up, not caring about the altitude. Nothing mattered anymore! I should have never fooled myself into thinking that I could live my life like an ordinary person.

I kept flying up even when I reached space, I didn't stop. I couldn't because it didn't seem enough. I still felt trapped, so I flew even faster to try and escape it, but it was no use. I couldn't escape it no matter the amount of flying I did. At some point, I fell unconscious during my flight. For the first time in my life, I dreamt of nothing, and I felt calm.

"Heimdall, how do you fare?" Thor asked the older Asgardian as he approached the Bifrost. Now that the tesseract is back in Asgard, the Bifrost is repaired meaning they could travel through the realms with ease again.

"I am well, but I see you have had a long day due to court affairs."

"Ah yes, the court is a place I rather avoid; however, as future king, I must maintain my presence."

"Still, there are those that can see you rather be elsewhere than here."

"Yes, I wish to end the feud between the nine realms as soon as possible. In reality, I know it will take time to accomplish that dream. However, I will see it come true."

"That is not what I meant, son of Odin," Heimdall chuckled as he set his sword on the stand and faced his prince. "Thor, I know you wish nothing else than to return to Midgard."

"I suppose I can not hide my true feeling from you. You know me far too well... How is Midgard?"

"The realm is well, and your new friends keep it safe."

"And Jane?"

"Ah, yes, how could I forget her. Your mortal is well and continues her work. She may be the most clever of all the mortals I have seen thus far."

"Yes, she is," Thor agreed with a small smile on his face. He missed Jane so much, but he knew his place was here, on Asgard keeping the peace.

"Perhaps your father will allow you to visit her."

"You and I both know that he will never allow that. He does not care for Jane, and he will not allow me to retire from the front line for too long."

"That is true for the foreseeable future, but you never know further down the line. Your father may surprise you."

"I suppose so," Thor replied before turning to leave. "I leave you to your watch, my friend."

As the prince left the Bifrost, Heimdall returned to his post watching the stars. It was a sight he could never accustom himself to no matter how many hours he stands watch. While he stood there gazing between the realms, he found something peculiar. He took a moment to look closer and was surprised by what he saw. Unsure if time is on his side or not, Heimdall called for a nearby guard to call upon Thor so the prince would return to the Bifrost. Thor will want to be here to see this.

Activating the Bifrost, he shot the rainbow bridge to his desired destination. Soon enough, a girl appeared on the floor, so he quickly turned the Bifrost off and went to her aide. She wasn't breathing, but the girl's heart was beating strong. How odd?

"Heimdall you called?" Thor announced as he entered. Heimdall didn't even have a chance to answer when the girl who laid on the ground woke up and began to panic.

"WHERE IN THE HELL AM I!" She yelled as she jumped to her feet. She took in her surroundings but failed to notice the two men staring at her. Calmly before the girl ran away in fear, Heimdall drew her attention to him as he stood up from the ground. The girl, who finally noticed him, looked at him in shock.

"I am Heimdall, the gatekeeper of the Bifrost, welcome to Asgard."

"Asgard?"

"Asgard? This is Asgard? That means-"

I was soon cut off when Thor came bounding my way. Before I could get away from him, the warrior prince brought me into a bear hug that was both crushing yet joyful. I only knew Thor for a short time, and the majority of that time, we fought over petty affairs. Now, after months of being apart, it's nice to know that the man doesn't harbor any ill feelings towards me.

"My friend, it has been far too long," Thor rejoiced as he finally set me down on the ground. It took me a moment to respond back to the older man. One reason is due to actually being here with Thor, and the second is the fact that he called me his friend.

"Thor, what in the world is going on?"

"Perhaps I should explain what has occurred," Heimdall interjected. "As I said before, I am the gatekeeper of the Bifrost. The Bifrost is what many terms as the rainbow bridge that connects the nine realms. As I stood guard over the bridge, I looked out to the stars and found you floating in the abyss. I recognize you from the battle against Loki and sought to help you."

"Ah, well, um, thank you, Heimdall I appreciate it."

"Lady Rodriguez, why were you so far from Midgard?" Thor asked me, but I didn't know how to respond to such a question. Should I even be here when I could accidentally hurt someone? Maybe I should leave before I cause any trouble.

"Forgive me, my friend, I should not be questioning you when it is clear that you need nourishment and rest," Thor said, distracting me from my train of thought. "Please follow me to my home, where I invite you as our honored guest."

"Thor, I don't think that is such a good idea."

"Nonsense," Thor beamed at me. "I have longed to speak to you, and I assure you, Lady Rodriguez, that you are welcome here. Heimdall, I shall see you tomorrow."

I have to admit it's difficult to convince Thor that I should leave when he's already set his mind on me staying. As we left the Bifrost I said goodbye to Heimdall and thanked him for saving me.

The further Thor and I walked the more I thought about my current situation. It's not like I was trying to kill myself when I flew into space. I just wanted to escape my problems, but it seems that I took it too far this time. Story of my life really. At least I get to visit Asgard. I bet not many humans get to say that every day. I wonder if I'm the first.

Asgard truly is a sight to behold. It reminds me of a mix between the medieval and modern era. The only difference being the giant golden castle in the distance. Well, that and the people. Next to them, I stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone is dressed like the cast from Game of Thrones while I'm here in my civies.

I'm wearing a maroon tank top with dark blue skinny jeans and my black converse. I must look like a mess to these people. Then again, it's not like this would be the first time I look like a walking disaster.

"Lady Rodriguez, are you well?" Thor asked me out of the blue. I look to the older man to see him giving me a concerned expression. So I am right in assuming that I look worse for wear.

"Yes, I'm fine, it's just been a rough couple of days, I guess."

"Anything I can help you with?"

"I doubt it... but I am thankful for everything you've done for me."

"For a friend who is far from her home, there is nothing more that I can do than give you a place to rest and recover."

"Me being here won't cause any problems, right?"

"Of course not Lady-"

"You don't have to call me Lady Rodriguez. It's a bit too formal, don't you think? Calliope is fine."

"Very well then, Calliope," Thor replied with a small smile. "As for your stay here, do not worry. Stay as long as you please, but I can not promise that I will be at your side at every moment."

"Don't worry, I won't monopolize your time. I understand that you have your princely duties to attend to."

"More like warrior duties."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" I asked him, but the frown I received in return was answer enough. "Wow, it really is that bad."

"No, it is not as terrible as I make it seem. Just tedious, but I refer to actual warrior duties. As of late, the nine realms have erupted in chaos and war. Asgard is charged with putting everything back to normal."

"Ahhh, I see, is there any way that I can help?"

"Well-"

"Prince Thor," a guard called out. "The All-father wishes to see you. Both of you."

"Who's this All-father?" I asked the blond. Judging by the frown on Thor's face, it couldn't be good.

"My father, the king of Asgard, has summoned us."

"Oh... that's no bueno."

"Agreed."

As we made our way to the palace, I grew more nervous. I'm not sure what's about to happen, but I hope I don't cause any trouble for Thor. Perhaps I should tell Thor about my situation before I go any further, or maybe I should just leave. Either way, I can't stay here any longer.

"Listen, Thor, maybe I should leave."

"Nonsense, do not worry, Calliope. My father is merely curious about you, nothing more."

"Thor," I tried explaining. "It's probably for the best that I go. You don't understand what's going on and I don't want to stir up any trouble."

"Guard leave us, this will only take us a moment," Thor ordered. "Calliope, come with me."

Walking into the palace, we made our way through a series of hallways until we reached a set of grand double doors. The design is intricate and beautiful, but what was inside is even more so. The room is actually a library with high ceilings and exquisite mural paintings. It's absolutely lovely here and I can only assume that the books this library holds to be just as magnificent.

"This is one of the few places in the palace where one can find solitude. We will not be disturbed here, so if there is anything you feel the need to speak about, feel free to do so."

I debated whether I should tell Thor anything. What if Thor or his father take the news horribly. Will they imprison me or have me killed. The longer I thought about it, the more my thoughts ran rampant. Isn't that how I got into this situation? Allowing my thoughts to consume me instead of seeking some type of help. All I've been doing is hurting myself, and if I don't stop now, I never will.

"Alright, um, I don't really know where, or even how to start," I began, finding a seat nearby to relax on. Thor joined me moments later, but he made sure there was enough distance between us as to not pressure me. "I'm not a very open person... I never have been. Recently, I've learned that I'm like this because I'm scared I'll get hurt again. That someone I trust will betray me. I mean, I always knew that, but now I understand it. I decided to trust people recently, so I asked Dr. Banner for help."

"Help," Thor asked. "With what?"

"With me," I explained to the older man. "Listen, I was experimented on as a child... I didn't ask for these powers. Over the years, I tried to suppress them, but in recent years, I have noticed a change. My powers have grown, and I'm terrified of what I may become. I went to Dr. Banner for help, and what he found wasn't exactly great."

"What is it that the Doctor found that has you concerned?"

I proceeded to explain to Thor what it was that Banner found and what it means for me. More like what it might mean for my future. Then I explained how I messed up back on Earth and ended up in the middle of space. Once I finished, Thor simply nodded his head and stood up.

"Thor?"

"Come with me, my father awaits us."

"But-"

"Speak of this to no one," Thor warned me before turning to walk away. "I will take care of you, my friend, you have my word."

Instead of asking Thor why he is being so kind to me, I chose to follow him out the door. I didn't have to ask him why, because I already knew the answer. Just like the others, Thor cared about me and is willing to help me with my problems. I don't know what I've done to deserve such amazing teammates, but I'm beginning to realize that I don't care. It doesn't matter in the end. What matters is that just like they have my back, I'll have theirs.

"Thank you, Thor."

* * *

Finally, Calliope is growing and learning to fully trust others. Trauma is a difficult thing to handle and recover from. Ask anyone who suffers from PTSD, that recovering doesn't take days. This can be a life long struggle and I wanted to show that with Calliope. Plus, it isn't easy trusting others after being hurt by so many in the past. Calliope still has a long road ahead of her, but she has finally taken the next step in recovering.

The next chapter will include many of our favorite Asgardian's, and maybe an infamous trickster. If not the next one then the one after that. Also, I will be going back to edit my previous chapters to this story but don't worry the content itself won't change.

Until next time, bye guys!


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